Recipe: Curried Turkey and Melon Salad

the appetizer:

Melissa's Everyday Cooking with Organic Produce: A Guide to Easy-to-Make Dishes with Fresh Organic Fruits and Vegetables by Cathy Thomas, includes articles and recipes like Mango; Curried Turkey and Melon Salad; Garden Enchiladas; and Tabbouleh with Edamame and Kumquats.

Curried Turkey and Melon Salad

Yield: 8 servings

Curry powder is used to spike the dressing with the alluring aroma and taste of dried herbs and spices. Contents of commercial curry powder blends vary from brand to brand, but generally speaking, they fall into two basic styles: standard and the hotter of the two, "Madras." In this salad, use the style that most suits your taste.

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup unsweetened plain yogurt
1/3 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 cups (3/4 pound) cubed cooked turkey or chicken (see Meatless Tip)
1 cup green or red seedless grapes, halved if large
1/2 medium honeydew, seeded, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 medium cantaloupe, seeded, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

Optional: 1 large, ripe peach or nectarine, peeled, pitted, cut into 1/4-inch cubes, or 2 ripe apricots, pitted, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

2 large stalks celery, trimmed, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
4 green onions, sliced, including 1/2 dark green stalks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups mixed baby greens
1 cup toasted slivered almonds (see Cook's Note)

1. To make dressing, bowl whisk mayonnaise, yogurt, sour cream, and curry powder in small bowl; set aside.

2. In large bowl, place turkey or chicken, grapes, melons, peach or nectarine or apricots if using, celery, and green onions. Add dressing and salt and pepper to taste; gently toss to lightly coat contents with dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

3. Place baby greens on serving platter. Spoon salad on top. Top with almonds. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Nutritional information (per serving with turkey): Calories 260, fat calories 140; total fat 15 grams, sat fat 3 grams, cholesterol 25 milligrams; sodium 180 milligrams; total carbohydrates 20 grams, fiber 4 grams, sugars 9 grams; protein 15 grams; vitamin A IUs 50%; vitamin C 50%; calcium 10%; iron 10%.

Cook's Note: To toast slivered almonds, place on rimmed baking sheet in single layer. Toast in middle of a 350 degrees F oven about 3 to 4 minutes, or until nicely browned. Watch carefully because nuts burn easily. Cool.

Meatless Tip: Cook 2 cups of a rice medley mixture (such as brown rice, wild rice, and barley). Cool to room temperature. Omit turkey in step 2. Place mixed greens on platter and top with rice; spoon fruit mixture on top of rice. If desired, garnish with sprigs of fresh cilantro.

from:
Melissa's Everyday Cooking with Organic Produce: A Guide to Easy-to-Make Dishes with Fresh Organic Fruits and Vegetables
by Cathy Thomas
Wiley 2010
Hardcover; 336 pages; $29.95
ISBN-10: 0470371056
ISBN-13: 978-0-470-37105-3
Reprinted by permission.

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