Ingredients
|
Firm red ripe cherries, about 5-6 per serving
Pecans, chopped and roasted, about 2T per serving 1T crumbled bleu cheese, per serving 1 head of butter lettuce, or a package of fresh baby spinach (8-9 ounces) |
Dressing
2T Japanese vinegar 1T lemon juice, this is about 2-3 wedges of a lemon About 1T sugar (adjust to your taste) Just enough canola oil to hold it together, start with 1T |
What To Do
This salad works best assembling into 4 individual services. It can work family style too, will still taste yum, but just won't be as pretty.
Pit and quarter the cherries. Toast pecans. Set aside in separate bowls. Open the bleu cheese and set aside as well.
Wash and pat dry lettuce leaves. Tear up and divide equally on four individual plates. Sprinkle lettuce with bleu cheese, pecans, and cherries equally across the four plates. (Or decide who is your favorite and give them more.)
Mix together vinegar and lemon juice, and then add sugar. Adjust sugar and lemon juice to your desired "puckery-ness." Add just enough oil to hold it together.
Drizzle dressing over salad and serve.
Pit and quarter the cherries. Toast pecans. Set aside in separate bowls. Open the bleu cheese and set aside as well.
Wash and pat dry lettuce leaves. Tear up and divide equally on four individual plates. Sprinkle lettuce with bleu cheese, pecans, and cherries equally across the four plates. (Or decide who is your favorite and give them more.)
Mix together vinegar and lemon juice, and then add sugar. Adjust sugar and lemon juice to your desired "puckery-ness." Add just enough oil to hold it together.
Drizzle dressing over salad and serve.
Notes and Talking Story
- In most salads, any lettuce will do, but in this case, the more delicate butter lettuce or baby spinach work best.
- Sturdier romaine, green or red leaf lettuce changes the texture and throws off the balance a little.
- If you are making this ahead of time, store salad components separately and then assemble right before eating.
Variation on a Theme: More-Like-Strawberry Salad
Chicken and cashews makes this a heartier, can-be-a-meal salad. There’s a lot of full flavor sweet-salty-sour action, as well as a satisfying mix of textures. The sturdier romaine and red-leaf lettuces work well here.
This salad should also be assembled right before serving/eating. If you are planning for leftovers, store the individual elements separately as with the cherry salad above.
A small handful cooked chicken (I have use pre-made Costco)
About 1T of bleu cheese per serving, more if you like it, less if you don't
Honey roasted cashews, pecans, or peanuts
Strawberries, thinly sliced
Romaine or red-leaf lettuce
Dressing
Juice of ½ a lemon
Teeny splash of rice vinegar
2-3T sugar—more if the lemon is really sour
Just enough canola oil to hold the dressing together
Set salad items in separate bowls to prep for assemble. Wash and pat dry lettuce leaves. Tear up and divide equally on four individual plates. Assemble chicken, bleu cheese, cashews, and strawberries in proportions to your liking.
Mix together lemon juice, vinegar and sugar, adjusting the sugar to your taste. Whisk oil in slowly so it gets incorporated well. Drizzle over salad and start eating!
This salad should also be assembled right before serving/eating. If you are planning for leftovers, store the individual elements separately as with the cherry salad above.
A small handful cooked chicken (I have use pre-made Costco)
About 1T of bleu cheese per serving, more if you like it, less if you don't
Honey roasted cashews, pecans, or peanuts
Strawberries, thinly sliced
Romaine or red-leaf lettuce
Dressing
Juice of ½ a lemon
Teeny splash of rice vinegar
2-3T sugar—more if the lemon is really sour
Just enough canola oil to hold the dressing together
Set salad items in separate bowls to prep for assemble. Wash and pat dry lettuce leaves. Tear up and divide equally on four individual plates. Assemble chicken, bleu cheese, cashews, and strawberries in proportions to your liking.
Mix together lemon juice, vinegar and sugar, adjusting the sugar to your taste. Whisk oil in slowly so it gets incorporated well. Drizzle over salad and start eating!