Avocado, Red Onion, and Feta Salad

Although we often find tasty treats at the farmer’s market in the winter, the colors usually mirror the season, with brown mushrooms and dark greens. There is only an occasional jolt of orange from a squash or a red apple, and there is very little that is a vibrant, bright green. So when we saw a new farmer offering lettuces in various hues of light green, we had a visceral reaction. The color completely perked me up, and I practically skipped over to the table. It just felt like a blast of spring on an otherwise gray day.

The lettuces are grown by Chesapeake Greenhouse in Sudlersville, MD, and the farmers have been at the market every week so we have become regular customers. Our favorite has been their Boston lettuce, which has a mild flavor and a smooth texture. I wanted to make a salad to feature this lettuce that would complement that mellow flavor and be interesting to the children.

My brother-in-law had made a salad of avocado and onion on one of our visits to Miami that the children still remember, so I thought I would try a similar combination of flavors here. I marinated the onions in lime juice so that they would still add crunch, but also have a tang that would contrast with the mild flavor of the lettuce and the creamy avocado. The feta adds a tart saltiness that makes the entire salad delicious. 

The lettuce and avocado don’t really need a dressing because the salad has so much flavor on its own, but I tossed them each with a splash of olive oil and red wine vinegar to moisten them. I layered the ingredients when serving to allow the children to eat around any parts of the salad they didn’t want. And yet, they didn’t love it as I had hoped they would. But Gabe and I now have had it several times and we do love it, so I decided to share it anyway.  Maybe your children will be more adventurous.

Avocado, Red Onion, and Feta Salad

15 minutes preparation time

Approximately ¼ red onion, sliced
juice of 1 lime
1 head Boston lettuce, washed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces
1 avocado, peeled and cut into cubes
olive oil
red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
approximately 1/3 pound feta cheese, crumbled

Marinate the sliced onion in the lime juice for about 15 minutes.  Toss the lettuce gently in a bowl with a splash each of olive oil and vinegar (I used about a tablespoon of olive oil and a teaspoon of vinegar) and salt and pepper to taste.  Do the same for the avocado, using less of each ingredient.

When the onion has finished marinating, layer the salad on a platter or in a bowl:  first the lettuce, then the avocado, then the red onion and, finally, sprinkle the feta on top.

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Comments

[Andrea]

I've read somewhere that soaking raw onions in lime juice (citrus in general?) improves their digestibility...it sure tastes good. And this salad looks delicious!