2tablespoonsPompeian red wine vinegar **or apple cider vinegar
1tablespoonlemon juice
1tablespoon sugar
¼teaspoon salt
3tablespoonsoil
½teaspoongrated orange zest or ¼ teaspoon Boyajian orange oil ***
Instructions
Sweet Red Wine Vineagar Dressing with Orange Flavoring
Rinse the outside of your lemon and cut in half. Squeeze 1 tablespoon of juice.
Measure 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar and combine with the lemon juice in a small bowl or salad dressing cruet.
Add the sugar and salt to the vinegar and lemon juice. Stir or shake until sugar and salt are dissolved. (I find it easier to stir until dissolved.). You do actually need to do this step!
Add oil and orange zest or orange oil and shake to combine. This dressing will seperate easily, so shake just before pouring.
For the Salad
Wash and dry salad greens (if necessary).
Tear spinach (lettuce) into bite sized pieces.
Peel the cucumber, if desired, and cut lenthwise into quarters.
Remove the seeds from the cucumber if they are large or if you desire.
Cut the cucumber into ½ inch chunks.
Open and drain the mandarin oranges.
Rinse, cut in half and peel avocado. (If you are just using half, save the half with the pit and do not remove pit or peel. Store air tight in the refrigerator.)
Cut avocado into ½ inch cubes just before serving. If you must cut the avocado ahead of time, drizzle with a little dressing and mix. It will help keep the avocado from turning brown.
Dress the greens with the dressing. (I usually have some left over.)
Add cucumbers.
You may wish to let individual diners add their own mandarin oranges and avocado. Or you can mix them in - but beware they tend to settle to the bottom of the bowl.
Enjoy!
Notes
*I do not measure the amount of greens. I make however much my family will eat. It does depend if I am putting a protein with this for a main dish salad or if it is a side salad.** This dressing tastes different depending on the wine vinegar you use. Pompeian greatly improves the flavor of this dressing in my opinion. If you cannot use red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar is also delicious in this dressing.*** I keep Boyajian orange and lemon oil in my refrigerator at all times. This is NOT orange "flavor." The only ingredient is "orange oil." It is made from the oil in the orange peel. I order mine from King Arthur Baking company.Note: I always at least double this dressing to have some for later. I could not give you those amounts since it would throw off the nutrient analysis for this recipe. Even with just one recipe, we usually have dressing left which lowers the fat and calories in this recipe.