Retro Salad: Mango, Avocado and Walnut with Tahini and Lemon Dressing

Retro Salad: Mango, Avocado and Walnut 
with Tahini and Lemon Dressing

I love old favourites like this retro salad, with my tahini and lemon twist

I love old favourites, don't you? My featured recipe is one of those old favourites that has lingered and been loved by friends and family over the last many years. The original most likely appeared in one of The Australian Women's Weekly cookbooks, perhaps in the 1970s or 80s (yikes, I'm showing my age here). It's a good old, triple tested recipe that really works and one that my sister-in-law and I used to make often, once upon a time. 

Anyway, I had forgotten all about it, until about nine years ago when I was managing a fresh produce market. A stallholder and I were talking about food (what else do one talk about?) and he mentioned this salad. 'You know the one,' he said enthusiastically. 'It has mango and avocado and walnuts, and I think, sour cream'. Memories stirred, taste buds were awakened and suddenly, yes!, I knew exactly which salad he was referring to. My guess was confirmed when he appeared the next day with the recipe neatly written out for me. Perhaps you know the recipe too?

The original version comprises quantities of avocados, mangoes, walnuts, bacon rashers, mignonette lettuce, olive oil, lemon juice, French mustard and thickened cream. Peter, my partner, won't eat mustard of any kind, and I wanted to steer clear of cream and oil, so I reworked the recipe as follows:

RETRO SALAD OF MANGO, AVOCADO AND WALNUT WITH TAHINI AND LEMON DRESSING
1 baby butter lettuce (mignonette is a variety of butter lettuce, use it if you prefer)
1 avocado
1 mango
1/4 cup walnut pieces (I used some beautiful Australian walnuts from the farmer's market)
1 small thick slice double smoked ham deluxe or smoked pork neck*

Dressing:
1 tablespoon tahini
1 tablespoon water
juice and zest of a lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Use the leaves from the heart of the lettuce. Wash and pat dry or dry in a salad spinner. Arrange lettuce leaves in a bowl. Peel and slice the avocado and mango into crescent-shaped slices. Click here if you would like hints how to peel an avocado. Arrange the mango and avocado over the bed of lettuce. Briefly sear the ham or bacon cubes in a hot pan (no oil). Allow to cool. Sprinkle over the salad. Top with the walnut pieces.

To make the dressing, combine the tahini, water, juice and lemon zest. Whisk well. Add a little more water or lemon juice to get the consistency you like. Season to taste. Pour the dressing over the salad just before serving. Serves two. *The bacon is optional, but if you like the flavour you can also use a low fat chunky bacon.

Walnuts grown by Alpine Nuts, Eurobin, Victoria

Retro Salad