Yummy Holiday Mexican Salad

In Mexico there is a nine-day celebration from December 16 through December 24 called Las Posadas. It typically starts with a parade each night of children enacting the journey of Mary and Joseph that leads them to the stable where Jesus is born. The last house they visit each night is where the posada party is celebrated. The nine days represents the nine months of Mary’s pregnancy.

This salad is served on Christmas Eve, the last night of Las Posadas. It is a combination of both fruit and vegetables which makes for a light and refreshing salad. This salad makes a beautiful addition to your Christmas dinner menu.

Mexican Christmas Eve Salad (Ensalada de Noche Buena)

2 beets, cut off roots & stems, wrap in foil & set in a baking dish, bake at 400 degrees for 1.5 hrs., cool, peel skin and slice

2 navel oranges, peel removing pith and slice horizontally

1 red apple, leave skin on, core and slice horizontally

1 green apple, leave skin on, core and slice horizontally

½ of a jicama, skinned and julienned, about 1.5 c

¼ fresh pineapple, skinned, cored and chopped into 1”pieces, about 1.5 c

½ c minced red onion

1 cup of grated carrots

12 cups of salad greens

4 T olive oil

4 T red wine vinegar

4 T orange juice

Salt & pepper to taste

1 lg. banana sliced at an angle

1 c fresh pomegranate seeds

1/2 c chopped dry-roasted peanuts

To make the salad dressing, pour the olive oil, red wine vinegar, orange juice and salt & pepper to taste in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake thoroughly until olive oil is emulsified. Arrange sliced beets, oranges, and apples slices in a large circle alternating the beets, oranges and apples slices. Toss the salad greens, carrots, red onion, pineapple, jicama and salad dressing together and mound in the center of the ring of beets, oranges and apple slices. Top with banana slices, pomegranate seeds and chopped peanuts.

Serves 12

Related Topics: Christmas 2011, Holiday Guide 2011, holidays 2011, and recipe corner