Rustic Harvest Salad of McIntosh Apples, Cashews, Swiss Cheese tossed in Sweet Poppy Seed Dressing.

I love this salad.  It is one I often choose when asked to bring a dish to a celebration.  It’s been to many Thanksgiving dinners,  pot-luck style baby showers and even a teacher appreciation luncheon or two.  Why?  It’s a breeze to toss together.  Even easier to transport.  And there are never any left overs to bring home.   In my mind, always the truest sign of a crowd pleaser.    The simple flavors of apples, cashews and Swiss cheese are smashing together.  The sweet poppy seed dressing clings nicely to the leafy lettuce and balances the tang of the apples.  The crunch of the apples and cashews pairs so well with the silkiness of the cheese.    It’s flavors are subtle and delicious.  Better yet, they  never overpower the other flavors of  a larger meal.

So if you’re in a crunch as to what salad to serve, maybe this is the year to give something new a try.   Be sure to finely grate the onion for the dressing.  It is needed.  I usually don’t like raw onion in salads and almost omitted it the first time I made it.  Sure glad I followed Lisa’s instructions and kept it in.  Perfect.  As crazy as it sounds, I always use my microplane for this.  The one I use for shaving nutmeg or zesting a lemon.  It grates the onion so fine.  It just melts into the dressing.   Yum.  I hope you enjoy this one as much as we do.

Lisa's Rustic Harvest Salad with Sweet Poppy Seed Dressing

Ingredients:

Red leaf lettuce

Green leaf lettuce

Romaine lettuce

1 cup cashews

2 red apples, coarsely chopped I like McIntosh. (Note: If salad is prepared ahead of time, be sure to coat apples in lemon juice so they do not brown).

1 cup Swiss cheese, finely shredded

Dressing:

1 cup oil (canola oil is what I use)

1/2 cup of white sugar

1/3 cup of red wine vinegar

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon yellow mustard

1 Tablespoon grated onion

2 Tablespoons poppy seeds

Wash and dry lettuce. Tear into bit size pieces and put in large salad bowl. Next layer cashews and apples on top. Sprinkle with Swiss cheese. Next combine all ingredients for dressing in small mixing bowl. Mix well. Dress salad just before serving.

© suebthefoodie.com, 2011-2012.

Photos by suebthefoodie.

Recipe by Lisa and shared with me by LC.