Rosaura's Festive Salad

Ingredients for vinaigrette:
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon amaranth seeds (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1/2 cup safflower oil
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups (1/3-inch cubes) firm white sandwich bread
2 bunches spinach (1 1/2 lb), stems discarded and leaves cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
1 1/2 lb red cabbage, finely shredded
1/2 medium jícama (3/4 lb), cut into very fine julienne
3 medium raw beets, peeled and cut into very fine julienne strips
1 medium red onion, halved lengthwise, very thinly sliced lengthwise, and soaked in cold water 20 minutes
1/2 cup chopped candied citron or candied pineapple (4 oz)
3/4 cup puffed amaranth seeds (optional)

Make vinaigrette:
Stir together soy sauce, vinegar, and chicken bouillon granules. Add herbs, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking constantly.

Make salad:
Heat vegetable oil in a heavy skillet and fry bread cubes in 2 batches, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 2 minutes. Combine vegetables, candied citron, and three fourths of croutons and amaranth seeds in a large bowl and toss well with vinaigrette. Sprinkle with remaining croutons and amaranth seeds.

Cooks' notes:

• We used a Japanese slicer, set at 1/16 inch, to shred the cabbage and slice the onion, jícama, and beets. We then cut the jícama and beet slices into julienne strips by hand.
• The vegetables and vinaigrette may be prepared 1 day ahead and chilled separately in plastic bags. The croutons are best made the day of the party.

  Serves 12

Thanks to Fresh-Herb Recipe Group for the use of this recipe.
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