Vegetable Salad

INGREDIENTS:
green peas
diced beets
cauliflower, separated in flowerets
green beans, cut into 1/2-inch slices
corn kernels
diced carrots
diced potatoes
diced celery
asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
artichoke hearts, halved or quartered
tiny sliced raw zucchini, or larger zucchini, cooked and diced
sliced raw tomatoes
sliced avocado

1
This is a favorite way of serving vegetables in Ecuador and is often presented as a separate course, before the main course. The vegetables are arranged in rows on a large platter and are served freshly cooked at room temperature. I have had them without any dressing, simply seasoned with salt during the cooking, with a dressing only of oil, salt, and pepper, and with a vinaigrette made with 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar or lemon juice, and seasoned with salt and pepper. The platter may be decorated with shredded lettuce or garnished with slices of hardboiled egg, or with olives, green or black. The vegetables should be cooked and tossed with the dressing separately. The dressing should not be abundant. The vegetables may be arranged as the cook sees fit: in rows, in heaps, or in circles. The vegetables listed below are the ones most frequently used. I like to serve the platter of mixed vegetables to accompany a main course, especially an Ecuadorian one.