Avocado and Smoked Turkey Salad

Mixed greens are combined with turkey and papaya pieces, grape halves, and diced apple. Salad is tossed with dressing prepared from olive oil, balsamic vinegar, orange marmalade, chopped garlic, curry powder, coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper. Hollowed French bread loaves are brushed with mixture of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Bread is baked briefly in oven and allowed to cool. Salad is spooned into hollowed bread and topped with avocado slices.

Ingredients -

Dressing:
1/4 cup Olive Oil
3 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
1 tablespoon Marmalade
1 clove Garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon Curry Powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

Salad:
2 loaves French Bread
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
8 cups Mixed Greens
1 cup (1/2 inch) cubed Smoked Deli Turkey
1 cup (1/2 inch) cubed Papaya
1 cup Red or Green Grapes, halved if large
1 medium Red Apple, cored and cubed
1 ripe Avocado, seeded, peeled, and cut into crescents

Preparation:

Dressing:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients until blended.

2. Set aside.

Salad:

1. Cut one inch off the top of each loaf of bread.

2. Using serrated knife, cut around inner edge of crust to remove the inside of the bread.

3. Remove by tearing out the interior of the loaf.

4. A 1/2-inch shell should remain.

5. In a small bowl, mix together oil and vinegar. Brush on inside of each loaf.

6. Bake in preheated oven at 375 degrees F for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

7. In large bowl, combine greens, turkey, papaya, grapes, and apple.

8. Whisk together dressing and pour over salad.

9. Toss to coat.

10. Spoon into breadbaskets.

11. Top with avocado crescents.

12. Cut each breadbasket into four pieces and serve.

Avocado Salad Making Tips -

Overripe Avocado

Overripe avocado flesh will have mushy spots and begin to turn brown. Generally still edible at this point, the best use is probably mashing for use in guacamole.

Avocado Salad Making Tips -

Smoked Turkey

Smoked turkey products can be found in most meat and deli departments in supermarkets on a year round basis.