Aunt Tina’s Salad

Dressing
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 tsp creole mustard
¼ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp fresh shallot, minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Salad
¼ cup unsalted butter
½ cup walnuts, chopped
½ package ramen noodles, uncooked and broken into small pieces. (Discard seasoning packet)
1 head of fresh romaine lettuce
1 cup fresh broccoli, cut into very small bits
¼ cup green onions, thinly sliced
½ cup dried apricots, chopped

Dressing

Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and blend thoroughly with a wire whisk. This may be made a day or two in advance and held in the refrigerator.

Salad

Use a very sharp knife to cut the romaine into 2-inch pieces. Wash and dry the lettuce very well. Refrigerate covered while preparing the other ingredients.

Place the butter in a medium-sized sauté pan over low-medium heat. Once the butter is melted and begins to bubble slightly, stir in the walnuts and ramen pieces. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Remove from heat and place the toasted nuts and noodles on a paper towel to drain and cool.

Combine the lettuce, nut mixture, broccoli, green onions, and apricots in a large mixing bowl. Stir the dressing well before drizzling it over the salad. Toss the salad until the lettuce is well coated with dressing, and serve immediately.

Yield: 6-8 servings