Sep 04 2026
RestaurantsIsland Gypsy Cafe & Marina BarGypsy House Salad Recipe

Gypsy House Salad Recipe

Time30m
Serves4

Gluten Free - Mixed Greens/ Bleu Cheese Crumble/ Mandarin Oranges/ Diced Tomato/ Toasted Macadamia Nuts/ Pickled Red Onion/ Key Lime Honey Vinaigrette

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Ingredients

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Salad

Method

Pickled Red Onion

  1. 1

    Prepare quick pickles

    Place thinly sliced red onion in a heatproof jar or bowl. In a small saucepan combine 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves (about 2 minutes). Pour hot brine over the onions ensuring they are fully submerged. Let cool to room temperature (about 15–20 minutes), then seal and refrigerate; ready to use in 30 minutes but best after 1 hour.

Key Lime Honey Vinaigrette

  1. 2

    Emulsify dressing

    In a small bowl or jar combine 3 tablespoons key lime juice, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard and 1 teaspoon minced shallot. Whisk to combine. Slowly drizzle in 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil while whisking vigorously (or shake in a jar with a tight lid) until the dressing is emulsified. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust honey/lime balance as desired. Chill briefly if not using immediately.

Salad Assembly

  1. 3

    Toast macadamia nuts

    Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup macadamia nuts and toast, stirring and shaking the pan, until fragrant and lightly golden at the edges, about 3–5 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool; roughly chop once cool enough to handle.

  2. 4

    Combine salad components

    In a large bowl add 6 cups mixed salad greens. Gently fold in 1 cup mandarin orange segments and 1 cup diced tomato. Drain pickled red onion (reserve a little pickling liquid if you like extra tang) and add about 1/4–1/3 cup of the pickled onions to the greens (reserve remaining onions for garnish or another use). Sprinkle 3 ounces crumbled bleu cheese over the salad and add the toasted chopped macadamia nuts.

  3. 5

    Dress and finish

    Drizzle the Key Lime Honey Vinaigrette over the salad—start with about 3–4 tablespoons (about half) and gently toss with salad tongs until evenly coated. Taste and add more dressing if desired. Season with 1/4 teaspoon sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, adjusting to taste. Plate the salad and garnish with any remaining mandarin segments and pickled onion slices. Serve immediately.

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