summer salads Archives - Page 2 of 2

Summer Salads: Chèvre Chaud with Fennel and Bing Cherries

Rememember my ode to Canada Day? I shared a super yummy recipe featuring bing cherries from our very own tree (along with a groan-worthy list of cheesy puns). Today the theme continues with a bit of cheese in the form of Chèvre Chaud, but with fewer puns! I promise!

Today’s recipe is for a gorgeous summer salad that we made recently as a part of my mission to make something lovely with our bountiful cherry harvest.

I just love the way flavours and textures can be layered in a salad to create a meal that is both healthy and deliciously satisfying. Salad for supper is one of my favourites, and this one did not disappoint!

Today’s confession #1: Fennel and I are really new friends. I would see it in the produce section from time to time, waiving it’s feathery fronds at me, but I would pass it by on my way to the figs and avocados without giving it a second look. Why have we not become friends before now, sweet Fennel? We will make up for lost time in the kitchen together. I promise.

Fennel is most commonly seen featured in Italian cooking and is famous for its digestive benefits. (Ever chewed on a teaspoon of fennel seeds after an Indian meal? Yum.) In its bulb form, fennel is very crunchy and sweet, with flavours that hint at licorice (far more subtle than with the seeds) as well as celery and even a slight citrus note.

Today’s confession #2: I am NOT new to goat cheese! In fact, we have a long-standing love affair. Chèvre, as it’s called in French, is a soft-ripened cheese made from young goat’s milk, and it is much easier on the tummy than cow’s milk cheese. It is very creamy but also has a surprising tang to it that I find wakes up the palette to the accompanying flavours on your plate. I love chèvre with fresh herbs and arugula, an aromatic green also known as “rockets” in England. You’ll also see this featured on the menu of your favourite Italian restaurant regularly!

Well, with that bit of background on our feature ingredients, let’s move on to the recipe!

Chèvre Chaud with Fennel and Bing Cherries

Ingredients:

4-6 tablespoons good Tuscan extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons Sable & Rosenfeld Tipsy Mustard

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

juice of one lemon

pinch of Maldon (or other good sea salt)

freshly cracked pepper to taste

3/4 cup finely chopped slivered almonds (about 3 ounces)

1 11-ounce log soft fresh goat cheese, cut crosswise into 9 rounds

6 cups (packed) arugula (one whole package of pre-washed from the grocery store)

1 cup halved pitted fresh Bing cherries

1/2 cup 2×1/4-inch strips fresh fennel bulb

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Whisk first 4 ingredients together in a small bowl until well combined. Season dressing generously with salt and pepper.

Chope almonds until they have about the same consistency as chunky peanut butter without the butter (that’s a gourmet cooking term for SURE!). : ) Spread almonds on a plate and then press both sides of the rounds into the almonds until they are well coated. Bake goat cheese rounds until cheese is warm but not melted, about 10 minutes.

Combine greens, cherries, and fennel in large bowl. Add dressing and toss to coat. Divide salad among 6 plates. Place 2-3 cheese rounds on each plate, serve and enjoy!!

What are your favourite recipes featuring Canadian Bing Cherries? What about fennel? Would love to hear what’s inspiring you in the kitchen lately.

Summer Salads: Watermelon, Feta + Basil

I absolutely love the sweet, fresh flavours of summer. Our family are watermelon addicts and we pretty much always have one on the go in the summer months when they are in season. So in celebration of the second official (smokin’ hot) day of summer, I thought I’d share a recipe with you. This is one of my favourite simple summer salads.

This salad is super fast, easy, and pleases even our son who tends to turn his nose up at the sign of anything too “mixed” or “with green stuff in it.” I think it’s the juxtaposition of the salty feta, the savoury basil and the sweet watermelon that makes it such a pleasant surprise to the palette.

Here’s what you need:

1 medium watermelon cut into 1″ cubes
1 container of firm feta (packed in rind – about 200g – more if you really love feta) cut into 1/4″ cubes
A big handful of basil leaves (maybe 1/4 cup when they’re pressed together), washed and cut into chiffonade (long, thin strips)
1 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp of my favourite mustard – Sable & Rosenfeld’s Tipsy Dijon (this amazing mustard is spiked with ale!)
2 or more tbsp of really good extra virgin olive oil
A generous pinch of salt (I use Maldon as the light flakes are just perfect for salad dressings)
Pepper to taste

Mix together the lemon juice, mustard, olive oil, salt + pepper until well combined. In a large serving bowl, combine the watermelon, feta and basil and gently drizzle half of the dressing over the salad. Toss and taste. Sometimes I stop there depending on how tart the lemon was and how much watermelon I’ve got. Sometimes I use it all. Just depends on my my mood and how the flavours are combining that day.

We love this salad along with a light and refreshing glass of Sparkling Pinot Grigio like this one from Barefoot Wines. It is remarkably reasonable at $12 a bottle and has that perfectly crisp, minerally refreshing taste that pairs beautifully with this kind of dish. I’m a champagne girl for sure, but this one fits the proverbial beer budget quite nicely, thank you very much!

Pair this salad with some gorgeous Lemon, Garlic + Rosemary Grilled Chicken (I’ll share that recipe soon) and it makes a delightful summer meal, especially al fresco!