LA SALADE DE LEYRITZ (from Martinique, for 6 to 8)

4 green (unripe) bananas (if green bananas aren’t available, use firm ripe bananas and eliminate boiling them in step 1)

salt

Caribbean-style vinaigrette

1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped

1 medium cucumber, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 cup sliced celery

2 medium carrots, scraped and shredded

1 medium avocado, sliced

lettuce

1. Peel the green bananas by cutting through the skin, lengthwise, in 2 or 3 places, then peeling off the skin in sections.  Put the bananas into a saucepan with enough cold, salted water to cover and cook, covered, until they are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.  Drain, cool and cut crosswise into ½ inch slices.

2. Mix all of the ingredients, except the lettuce, lightly together. Add enough vinaigrette to coat the salad lightly and toss again.  Line a salad bowl with the lettuce and fill with the banana mixture.

adapted from Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz, The Complete Book of Caribbean Cooking