Avocado and Cucumber Salad with Ricotta Salata and Walnut Dressing
Prep time
Total time
This dressing is out of this world! Toasted walnuts and walnut oil are combined with shallots, sherry vinegar, and olive oil. Just put all ingredients in the blender and voila! A simple salad of greens, cucumber, avocado and Ricotta Salata is perfect with this dressing. It's also excellent on roasted vegetables! You can make it well in advance and refrigerate. Give this a try!
Author: Ruth Guerri
Recipe type: Salad
Serves: 1½ cups
Ingredients
- 1 cup of walnuts, lightly toasted (see Note)
- 1 cup of water
- ½ cup of sherry or champagne vinegar
- 2 Tbs of minced shallots
- 2 tsp of kosher salt
- ½ tsp of sugar
- ¼ tsp of freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup walnut oil
- 1 avocado
- 1 cucumber
- Ricotta Salata or Pecorino Romano cheese, shaved
- salad greens
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients, except the oils, in a blender and process on high speed.
Then, while the machine is still running, gradually add the olive and walnut oil until the vinaigrette is emulsified, about 1 minute. 
Refrigerate until ready to serve. 
- To make the salad, just place the greens, avocado, cucumber and shaved cheese on a plate and drizzle on the dressing!
DELISH!
Notes
Ricotta Salata is an Italian cheese that is made from the whey part of sheep milk that is pressed, salted and aged, it has a firm texture and is absolutely delicious, but it's a little hard to find. Pecorino Romano can be substituted. Whichever cheese you use, shave it with a vegetable peeler for this salad, enjoy!
To toast your walnuts, place them in a dry skillet for 5 - 6 minutes, until fragrant or in a preheated 350-degree oven on a baking sheet for between 5 - 8 minutes.
To toast your walnuts, place them in a dry skillet for 5 - 6 minutes, until fragrant or in a preheated 350-degree oven on a baking sheet for between 5 - 8 minutes.
