During the summer, we eat salads of crisp raw summer vegetables with great regularity, as the main vegetable portion of the meal, especially if we are cooking outside. A bit of fresh bread and something off the grill rounds out the menu nicely. Cucumbers are a nice addition to this as well, either in as well as or in place of the carrots, in which case I usually serve a creamy dressing instead of the vinaigrette.
1 lb assorted coloured carrots
1 lb assorted coloured peppers
1 lb mixed cherry tomatoes
Vinaigrette
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tbsp honey
1/4 cup basil, chopped finely
1 clove garlic, minced
Wash and peel the carrots and slice thinly on a slight bias.
Wash the peppers, core and seed them, and dice into 1 inch pieces
Wash and stem the cherry tomatoes and halve them if large (1 inch diameter or more)
Combine all vegetables in a bowl and mix well.
Combine all ingredients for the dressing, season to taste, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Toss salad with enough vinaigrette to coat the vegetables lightly and serve immediately.(Any extra dressing may be kept for a few days in the refrigerator)