Taco Salad with Avocado Cilantro Dressing

• Ingredients:

3/4 lb ground beef
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon chile powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne (optional)
1 can (8-ounce) tomato sauce
1 can (15-ounce) black beans, drained

• For the salad:

8 cups romaine lettuce, coarsely chopped
1 ripe Hass avocado, halved lengthwise, peeled and sliced
1 sweet bell pepper (red, yellow or orange) seeded and roughly chopped
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Tortilla chips (see notes)
Lime wedges (optional)

• For the dressing:

1 ripe Hass avocado, halved and peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 small clove garlic, very finely chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 to 1/2 cup buttermilk (or regular milk)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions: 

Start by making the dressing. Place the avocado, olive oil, yogurt, garlic, lime juice, cilantro, 1/4 cup of the buttermilk, salt and a few grinds of black pepper in the work bowl of a food processor or blender. Process until smooth, adding more buttermilk as needed to achieve a creamy dressing consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning, cover tightly and set aside for the flavors to develop.

Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 additional minute, then add the ground beef. Sauté until nicely browned, breaking up any large chunks of meat with a spatula. Drain the excess fat from the pan, then add the cumin, coriander, chile powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and some freshly ground black pepper.

Stir in the tomato sauce and black beans, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste for seasoning and add a pinch of cayenne if desired.

To assemble the salad, divide the lettuce between 4 plates and top with sliced avocado, sweet bell pepper and tomatoes. Spoon about 1 cup of the meat mixture into the center of the salad and sprinkle with grated cheese. Arrange some tortilla chips around the edges of the plate. Drizzle with the dressing and serve with lime wedges and extra dressing on the side.

Makes 4 servings

To make your own tortilla chips: 

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut four 6-inch corn tortillas into 6 wedges each. Brush both sides of each wedge with a little vegetable oil, then sprinkle the tops with sea salt. Bake until golden and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes.

Found this recipe sitting in my "upload to blog file".  I think I made this in September of '12 =D