Try this Marinated Vegetable Salad recipe, or contribute your own.
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons italian seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic pressed or minced
- 2 cups cauliflower florets
- 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes (~10oz)
- 2 cups chopped carrots (~4 medium carrots)
- 1 cucumber, seeded then chopped
- 1 bell pepper (any color ) seeded then chopped
- 2 tablespoons minced shallots
- Carbohydrate 2.329331414558 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 6.60775000545761 g
- Fiber 0.793624999523163 g
- Protein 0.737675000127437 g
- Saturated Fat 0.913593125753749 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (50g)
- Sodium 46.7346652373558 mg
- Sugar 1.53570641503483 g
- Trans Fat 0.192087250149184 g
- Calories 71 calories
Step-by-step
- For the Vinaigrette: add ingredients to a jar with a tight-fitting lid or bowl then shake or whisk to combine. Taste then add more salt, pepper, and/or oil if necessary (this dressing is very tart so add more oil if it's too tart for your tastes.)
- Add vegetables to a very large bowl then dress with 3/4 of the vinaigrette. Toss then refrigerate for 4 hours or up to overnight. Toss with remaining vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper to taste just before serving.
Raw produce contains rigid cell walls built from cellulose and pectin. The ingredient list omits how these structures react to high-acid liquids over long contact hours. Vinegar creates an osmotic pull that draws moisture out of plant tissues while simultaneously forcing acid molecules inward. Hard vegetables like carrots and cauliflower require hours of submersion to soften without the application of thermal heat. Canned or brined vegetables would turn to mush under this treatment, but raw density allows sturdy produce to withstand prolonged marinating without losing integrity entirely.
The Mechanics of Raw Marination
Vinaigrettes built with high proportions of red wine vinegar rely on emulsification to coat surfaces evenly. Shaking oil and acid in a sealed jar creates a temporary suspension that clings to hydrophobic vegetable skins. Seed the cucumber completely before chopping to prevent excess water from diluting the dressing strength. Refrigerate the mixture for at least four hours to allow the acid to penetrate dense carrot cores. Toss the contents with the reserved remaining dressing just prior to serving to restore bright surface notes.
- Over-salting the initial mix draws out too much moisture and leaves the vegetables rubbery.
- Failing to seed watery vegetables turns the dressing thin and watery.
- Skipping the chilling window leaves the carrots too crunchy and devoid of vinegar absorption.
