::side:dish::

This is a great little side dish that I found on the Food Network Canada website. I actually saw the episode on TV as well . The chef who prepared this dish is Chuck Hughes in the highly acclaimed show, "Chuck's Day Off".

This is a refreshing, palette-cleansing, healthy alternative to another other carb-y side and would go great with something super meaty. :)

Hope you guys enjoy and let me know how yours turned out, or if you have any other delicious alternatives.

Bon Appetit!

Chuck's Green Salad

Yield: 4 side salads

Dressing: 500 mL

Ingredients

Salad

1/2 English cucumber

Handful of blanched green beans

Handful of shaved fennel

4 blanched asparagus

Handful of arugula

Handful of nicoisse

Small handful of raw cabbage

8 endive leaves

1/2 Granny Smith apple

Salt

Ground pepper

Dressing

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon Maple Syrup

1 tablespoon red balsamic vinegar

500 mL canola oil

Directions

Salad

Make sure you give all your veg a good rinse.

Cut the English cucumber in half lengthwise. Leave the skin on - it adds loads of vitamins, great colour and a nice crunch. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds, and then cut the cucumber into thin, two-inch sticks.

Toss in your blanched green beans. I like to leave them whole.

Shave a handful of fennel.

Slice your blanched asparagus into thin, 2-inch sticks.

Add a handful of arugula, and a handful of nicoisse or frisse lettuce.

Finely slice a small handful of raw cabbage.

Peel off 8 endive leaves - toss them in as they are.

Slice half a Granny Smith apple into thin 2-inch sticks.

Season with a good pinch of salt and ground pepper.

Dressing

Whisk the Dijon, maple syrup, red balsamic vinegar and canola oil together.
Season to taste.

Leftovers can be kept for a few days in a sealed jar in your fridge. Just be sure to give it a good shake before using.

-S.*

(Source: http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipes/healthy/recipe.html?dishID=10075)