My Mardi Gras Salad

We’re Not Just Tossin’ Beads For Mardi Gras, Mista’

Well, hey there, on this Mardi Gras day!

Fat Tuesday always brings memories of celebration, parades, and preparation for the lenten season. It also reminds me of a recipe I discovered years ago that I want to share with you. It’s a colorful and tasty marinated salad with a very basic sweet and tangy dressing appropriately named Mardi Gras Salad.

The traditional Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday festivities are near and dear to many Cajun’s since it marks the day before entering the lenten season. Lent is the time set apart to consecrate the heart like the forty days Jesus fasted in the desert. Similarly, the season lasts about forty days starting with Ash Wednesday and ending on Easter Sunday when we commemorate our Lord’s resurrection from the grave. A day most worthy of celebration!

A Turmeric Dressing To Toss With

Now, the original Mardi Gras Salad recipe didn’t need any changes, but I did update a few ingredients to suit my own taste that I believe you’ll enjoy also. One exchange is using turmeric instead of paprika in the dressing.

Turmeric is a spice I have been including in my diet lately. It has a claim of being an anti-inflammatory and a strong antioxidant. I find adding turmeric helps in reducing inflammation. It’s a good substitute here for paprika that isn’t heavy on taste and adds healthful benefits to the diet.

Let’s Toss This Salad

My Mardi Gras Salad

This brightly colored marinated salad represents well the purple, gold and green colors of Mardi Gras. It’s cool and crisp with a sweet and tangy dressing that makes a delicious addition to your meals any time of year.

• Author: Louisiana Woman
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

Salad

1 bunch of fresh asparagus, cut into fourths

1 – 16 ounce bag of frozen peas, defrosted

2 cups celery, thinly sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 small red (or purple) onion, thinly sliced

1 – 4 ounce jar chopped pimientos

Dressing

1 cup white vinegar

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 tablespoon water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water, enough to cook asparagus and peas in, to a boil.

While waiting on water to boil, make dressing: Add all ingredients except the oil into a quart jar, close the lid and shake well. When ingredients are blended add the oil and shake some more.

Place asparagus and peas into boiling water for 3 minutes.

Remove the pot from heat and strain vegetables into a colander, rinse with cold water while draining in sink.

Put all of the vegetables in a large sealable container and pour dressing over salad after giving the jar a good shake.

Toss and store in the refrigerator at least 6 hour.

Notes

Toss the salad once or twice while it marinates in the refrigerator to make sure flavors are well blended.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cup

It is easy to love the people far away. It is not always easy to love those close to us. It is easier to give a cup of rice to relieve hunger than to relieve the loneliness and pain of someone unloved in our own home. Bring love into your home for this is where our love for each other must start.   Mother Teresa