Tangy Romaine Salad With Habanero-Avocado Dressing

Name: Tangy Romaine Salad With Habanero-Avocado Dressing
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 fresh habanero chile; 1 large ripe avocado, halved, pitted and diced; 6 tablespoons olive oil; 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice; 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar; 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar; 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher or sea salt, or more to taste; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 2 heads romaine or 3 to 4 heads baby romaine, washed, dried and torn into pieces; 3 mini cucumbers (about 8 ounces), rinsed, ends removed and sliced; 3 to 4 radishes, rinsed, halved and thinly sliced; 3 to 4 large oranges, peeled and cut into supremes or slices (about 1 cup)

By Pati Jinich

Published Jan. 5, 2024

Tangy Romaine Salad With Habanero-Avocado Dressing — Kerri Brewer for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.

Total Time: 40 minutes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Rating: 5(117)
Comments: Read comments

Tender lettuce, juicy sweet oranges, pungent radishes and crunchy cucumbers get a lush treatment with this creamy, tangy, rich, addictingly spicy dressing that leaves a luxuriously rich and full mouthfeel after each bite. The habanero becomes sweeter and its flavors more bold as it roasts, imparting zesty, peppy flavor, feisty bite and a hint of rustic smoke to the creamy avocado dressing. This dressing works well on any green salad — but is so good you might even want to pour it onto a bowl and eat with a spoon.

Featured in: The Habanero Rules Yucatán. Let It Rule Your Kitchen, Too.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

1fresh habanero chile
1large ripe avocado, halved, pitted and diced
6tablespoons olive oil
⅓cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2tablespoons white distilled vinegar
2teaspoons dark brown sugar
1¼teaspoons kosher or sea salt, or more to taste
½teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2heads romaine or 3 to 4 heads baby romaine, washed, dried and torn into pieces
3mini cucumbers (about 8 ounces), rinsed, ends removed and sliced
3 to 4radishes, rinsed, halved and thinly sliced
3 to 4large oranges, peeled and cut into supremes or slices (about 1 cup)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
In a preheated comal, skillet or griddle set over medium heat, toast and char the habanero for 6 to 8 minutes, flipping as needed, until skin is charred and chile completely softened. Remove from the heat. Using a fork and a knife, halve the chile, then remove the stem and scrape the seeds off. (If you use your hands, be sure to rinse with soap and water as habaneros are spicy.)
Step 2
In the jar of a blender, add half the roasted chile plus the avocado, olive oil, lime juice, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of water. Purée until completely smooth. Taste for spiciness level and salt and adjust to taste, adding the remaining habanero if desired.
Step 3
To a large bowl, add the lettuce, and about ¾ of the cucumbers, radishes and orange supremes. Toss with about ¾ of the dressing until completely covered. Add the remaining cucumbers, radishes and orange supremes on top. Add more dressing as desired.

Ratings

5 out of 5

117 user ratings

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Comments

Nicholas1 year ago

This salad was delicious. I followed the recipe very closely. I ended up using the whole habanero, because I didn't really notice it when I taste tested the dressing after putting the first half in. Used cara cara oranges and the color was gorgeous against the greens. I served the salad with some shrimp that I had poached with cumin and celery seed and then chilled - they paired wonderfully with all the other flavors. I will absolutely make this again, maybe even for a dinner party.

Moludwig1 year ago

Due to the unpredictable nature of the habanero using one half of the pepper was still too much heat for our heat loving family. I tried moderating the heat with a cup of sour cream. It was edible but I dressed the salad lightly and threw away all left over salad and dressing. I’d start with 1/4 pepper the next time!

Rose1 year ago

Excellent salad! Crunchy, creamy, spicy, refreshing, delicious. Might add a final squeeze of lime and salt. Would be great with shrimp. Ate with tortilla chips for dinner!

sf cook10 hours ago

Wow! Fantastic. Used some chipotle and cayenne powder as I did not have fresh habaneros. Great with salmon cakes.

kristina1 month ago

Didn't have a habanero, so used a full jalapeño. Left out the vinegar and the sugar, and cut back the oil to 2T. Loved it. Will use the leftover dressing as a taco salsa.

Jessie2 months ago

Made tonight with a half de-seeded jalapeño bc my kids are spice wimps. The salad got rave reviews and were a great use of the late season oranges we still have on the tree in our yard. 2 heads of romaine consumed by 8 people and I'd bet we have finished off 3 and there'd be plenty of dressing for that amount. Great salad for a crowd. I might skip the sugar in the dressing next time.

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