Ingredients
Salad Bar:
3 hearts of romaine lettuce, chopped
1 sack mixed baby greens (10 ounces)
2 cups fresh bean sprouts, any variety
1 cup thinly sliced daikon or red radishes
2 cups store-bought shredded carrots, available prepped in plastic bags in the produce section at the grocery store
8 scallions, sliced on the bias
1/2 English (seedless) cucumber, sliced in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 pint yellow or red grape tomatoes
1 red onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1 bunch fresh mint leaves, trimmed
1 bunch fresh basil leaves, trimmed
2 packages chopped nuts (2 ounces each), found on the baking aisle at the grocery store
8 slices almond toast or anisette toast, such as Stella D'Oro brand, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup Tamari (dark soy sauce)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (eyeball it)
4-8 thin-cut chicken cutlets, depending on size
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound mahi-mahi
1 ripe lime
Peanut Dressing:
3 tablespoons white vinegar or rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup white grape juice concentrate or apple juice concentrate
3 tablespoons peanut butter
2 inches fresh ginger root, grated
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon chopped nuts (from salad bar)
Chili Garlic Sweet Hot Dressing:
3 tablespoons white vinegar or rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup pepper jelly, available on the condiment aisle
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons hot chili oil
1/2 vegetable oil
Directions
Arrange salad bar ingredients in serving dishes and bowls as you prep them: romaine, baby mixed greens, bean sprouts, daikon radishes, carrots, scallions, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, mint leaves, basil leaves, nuts and almond or anisette "croutons".
Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.
Combine Tamari and oil in a shallow dish. Add chicken and turn to coat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Drizzle mahi-mahi with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill chicken for 3 minutes on each side. Cut chicken into strips on an angle and pile onto a serving plate. Grill fish for 4-5 minutes on each side, until opaque. Squeeze lime over the fish and break into chunks as you transfer it to a serving plate.
Combine all ingredients for peanut dressing, except the oil, in a blender. Blend for 30 seconds, then open lid and stream in the oil. Transfer dressing to a serving dish and sprinkle the dressing with a spoonful of nuts from your salad bar to garnish the dish.
For garlic dressing, whisk vinegar, jelly, garlic, black pepper and chili oil together. Stream in vegetable oil while continuing to whisk. When the oil is incorporated, transfer dressing to a small dish to serve.