Cape Cod Picnic Salad

The grand-prize winner of our Picnic Salads contest, this salad takes its inspiration from the fall flavors of New England, tart cranberries and apples in particular. The inclusion of turkey breast, cheddar cheese, and walnuts makes this a complete meal. A secret ingredient in the dressing ties all the other ingredients together. When we made Lisa’s recipe, here’s what we discovered:

Test Kitchen Discoveries

• Cranberry chutney is the secret ingredient that lends mystery to the vinaigrette. We had trouble finding the chutney in many grocery stores, but found apricot preserves worked nearly as well. Dijon mustard and lime juice round out the vinaigrette--all flavors we wouldn’t have naturally combined, but they blend well here.
• Toss the apple slices with acidic lime juice to prevent them from oxidizing and turning brown.
• Blending two types of greens--crisp romaine and mustardy watercress--lends flavor and textural depth to the salad.