Simply Salads: Baby Lettuces with Feta, Strawberries & Almonds

Seasonal berries are still abundant and sweet from the markets and home gardens. This is a quick, tasty and fresh salad to put together.

Whether you’re entertaining or making something for your lunch or dinner, this salad with baby lettuces, fresh sweet strawberries, feta and almonds is really delicious with the honey-mustard dressing you’re going to drizzle all over it. Serve it as a main dish or side salad.

I love feta cheese. In salads it’s always a win-win combination. I really don’t know why making homemade dressing isn’t something I do more regularly. I need to make more of an effort to do so because its so quick and easy. Usually, I’ll just do a toss with extra virgin-olive oil, and/or lemon – maybe a commercial brand Italian dressing.

Last summer I shared a similar salad that used walnuts, fresh blueberries and strawberries. The dressing was fantastic too because it included a pound of fresh strawberries (see Baby Greens with Strawberry Dressing). Mmmm…delicious!

With the sweet, juicy flavors of the gorgeous strawberries, nuttiness of the almonds and pungent saltiness of the feta…it would be rather difficult for those combinations of flavors with baby greens NOT to taste good. It’s a versatile arrangement of salad elements to work with as a base.

Its all about the contrast of the sweetness from the fruit with the tang of the feta and dressing. Add other seasonal berries with the strawberries, like blueberries, blackberries, etc.

Change the salad up subtly or dramatically by the dressing you drizzle over this bed of freshness.

This honey-mustard like dressing is so quick and easy to whisk together and it makes all the difference. While you’re putting it together, why not just double or triple the recipe already and refrigerate the rest to use again during the week.

Serve as a main or side salad. It works both ways depending on the portion-size you serve.

Pair this crisp summer salad with a perfectly chilled Pinot Gris.

• Easily make the dressing a day ahead. Keep refrigerated until ready to use within the week or so.
• Double or triple the dressing recipe to have on hand to use again during the week.
• Due to the saltiness of the feta, omitted adding more salt to the dressing.
• Easily add other seasonal berries alongside the strawberries (blueberries, blackberries, etc.).
• After whisking the dressing ingredients together, transfer to a dressing carafe or container.
• When preparing to serve, I assemble individual servings instead of tossing the whole thing together. This allows me better control of the distribution of the berries and almonds.

Its all about the contrast of the sweetness from the strawberries with the tang of the feta and dressing. Add other seasonal berries with the strawberries, like blueberries, blackberries, etc.

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Baby Lettuces with Feta, Strawberries & Almonds

modifed from Food & Wine

Serves 4-8 depending on portion size

Ingredients

Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1 small shallot, minced fine
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

freshly ground pepper

6 ounces packed assorted baby lettuces
1 quart strawberries, hulled, halved or sliced vertically
1 to 1 1/2 cups feta, crumbled
1 cup sliced almonds

Directions

In a salad dressing carafe or medium to small bowl (depending if you double the recipe), whisk the mustard, honey, shallot, and vinegar. Stir in the olive oil to combine. Season with pepper.

In a large bowl, add the lettuces. Add the strawberries, feta, and almonds. Evenly drizzle the dressing over the salad and gently toss with salad thongs to distribute dressing. Serve immediately.

Teenie Notes

• Easily make the dressing a day ahead. Keep refrigerated until ready to use within the week or so.
• Double or triple the dressing recipe to have on hand to use again during the week.
• Due to the saltiness of the feta, omitted adding more salt to the dressing.
• Easily add other seasonal berries alongside the strawberries (blueberries, blackberries, etc.).
• After whisking the dressing ingredients together, transfer to a dressing carafe or container.
• When preparing to serve, I assemble individual servings instead of tossing the whole thing together. This allows me better control of the distribution of the berries and almonds.

Cristina A-Moore | TeenieCakes.com

July 24, 2013