Passport & Plate - Creole Salad with Pumpkin and Jalapeno Dressing
USA | Tuesday, March 11, 2014 | 5 photos
Ingredients
Dressing (makes ~1.5 cups):
- 1 cup pureed pumpkin (canned pumpkin may be used, but fresh pumpkin or squash is best - I got a very beautiful acorn squash from my local farmer’s market, so that’s what I used)
- 1/8 cup (2 Tb) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 Tb Creole Sweet and Spicy mustard (see story and pictures for more details)
- 2 Tb Jack Daniels whisky (they were specific – I believe other brands could work too)
- 2 Tb honey
- ½ jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
Salad (serves 4):
- 6 cups fresh spinach leaves, washed and dried
- 2 avocados, halved and sliced
- 2 small mozzarella balls – referred to as Bocconcini – , sliced (I am grateful to Ottavio Italian Bakery and Delicatessen in Victoria for offering particularly delicious Bocconcini)
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts, sautéed in olive oil
- ½ jalapeno pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup walnut pieces
- ¼ cup raisins
How to prepare this recipe1. Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds using a spoon. Cut into quarters and cook in boiling water until soft (~20 minutes). Drain and let cool completely. When the squash has cooled down, remove the skin using your fingers and a spoon. It should come off easily. Place it in a tall container and puree using a hand blender (or a food processor) until smooth.
2. In a medium bowl combine a cup of the pureed squash with the other dressing ingredients. If the cream cheese isn’t soft enough, microwave it in a microwave-safe bowl for 15 seconds. Mix all the ingredients with a hand blender or food processor until well combined.
3. Wash and cut the Brussels sprouts in half. Make a small incision in the stem so the heat cooks them uniformly. Heat 1 Tb olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Place the Brussels sprouts in the pan sliced-side down and season with salt and pepper. Cook until they’re golden brown (~3 minutes), and turn them. Pour ¼ cup of water into the pan and cook until the liquid has evaporated and the sprouts are cooked through.
4. Place the spinach leaves on four individual serving plates. Arrange avocado, Bocconcini and jalapeno slices, Brussels sprouts and tomatoes on top of the spinach. Drizzle with the pumpkin jalapeno dressing and garnish with walnuts and raisins. Serve immediately.
The story behind this recipeSome years ago I visited my cousin Vanessa in New Orleans. It was late afternoon, we’d missed a few busses on our way downtown, and we were starving. We were wandering along Royal Street, getting grumpier by the minute, when we almost tripped over a low board that announced “we use local produce”. The menu looked very promising, featuring ethical fishing and sustainable farming. My hopes lifted right away. We went in.
The place’s eccentric décor was charming and colourful, with old lamps of various sizes and shapes, different kinds of clocks and assorted books scattered over the shelves. The tattooed waitress who welcomed us had hair dyed pink and a chain hanging from her pierced nose.
Vanessa chose a salmon dill sandwich, whereas I ordered the daily special: pumpkin jalapeno salad. While we waited for our meal, we exchanged comments and jokes with the waitress, who wasn’t only fantastically hilarious but also very friendly.
The food was so delicious we couldn’t believe our luck. When I asked the waitress if they had desserts, she turned around towards the kitchen door and dutifully (and very loudly) passed on the request. A few seconds later a young man in an apron appeared, wearing a bandana over his forehead, and a huge smile. Very happily, he declared: “I’m the dessert!” We burst into giggles. He fled back to the kitchen and returned with two freezies —his charming way of making up for not having any other dessert to offer.
Before we left I dared ask the waitress if she’d mind telling me some of the ingredients of the amazing salad dressing. She bellowed something towards the kitchen again and the lovely cook made another stellar appearance, carrying his recipe notebook! And he gave me the full list of ingredients.
I was so excited that I asked them if I could take their picture. They accepted gladly, but only if I was in the picture with them! We bought a jar of Creole mustard and thanked them profusely. This experience was definitely the highlight of my day!
