May 30, 2010
After producing a conservative estimate of 10 gallons of strawberries since the first week in May, my strawberries are about ready to quit. With 30 pints in the freezer for winter use, more than 5 gallons eaten fresh in cereal, pies, and strawberry salads, and over a gallon shared —-I can’t complain.
But I am hoping that I’ll find enough for one last strawberry salad when I go out to check this evening.
If you’re like me, I had never heard of strawberry salad. I happen to come across the recipe last year when I was looking for a new recipe for spinach online. The rave reviews were numerous — and that is the only reason I decided to try it. Little did I know how delicious it would be!
If you are still getting fresh strawberries, treat yourself to this easy, yet gourmet salad before the season is over. You’ll look forward to fresh berries even more next year in anticipation of having this salad again.
One small commentary before I give you the recipe: If you don’t have fresh homegrown strawberries I wouldn’t bother fixing this salad. Store-boughts have no taste and for this salad to be wonderful you have to have the delightful taste of real homegrown berries. This salad alone is almost reason enough to grow your own berries, lettuce and onions.
STRAWBERRY SALAD
Fresh young spinach and/or fresh young lettuces (torn into bite-size pieces)
4 cups of sliced strawberries
One small red garden onion sliced (use white if that’s all you’re growing, although the red is best)
In large bowl toss greens, berries and onion.
Pour dressing over and toss.
Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup of honey
1/4 teaspoon of paprika
2 tblsp sesame seeds*
1 tblsp poppy seeds*
*(if you don’t have sesame or poppy seeds on hand – use sliced almonds)
Place dressing ingredients in jar and shake well. ( Let marinate for a few hours before using.)
I make this dressing ahead and store in a cool place but NOT in the refrigerator. The olive oil tends to thicken when in the frig and the dressing won’t taste good until it totally emulsifies again.
This is enough dressing for me to use on about 4 or 5 very large bowls of salad.
I altered the original recipe to suit our tastes, but if you want to check it out unaltered (for Spinach and Strawberry Salad) it’s on allrecipes.com.
I will try this with the yield from today, Theresa. I would never have thought to put strawberries directly on a salad, but I trust your recipes, so I’ll try it….
This is a delicious salad! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
I was hesitant to try this recipe too Sandra, but read rave reviews on variations of this recipe and I decided to give it a go. Boy! am I glad I did because it’s out of this world delicious.
And if you don’t feel up to a salad —- try a bowl of cut up strawberries with just the dressing!
Theresa
So glad you enjoyed it Pat!
Theresa
Hi Theresa
Thanks for posting the strawberry/spinach salad recipe! I forwarded your email to my wife and Wala, she surprised me at dinnertime tonight with the best salad I ever ate in my entire life!! Now there’s something I never would have considered trying until I read your email. Halfway through a huge bowl, I said to my wife: I’ll bet this is at least a $15 salad at a restaurant!
But…what made it even better was all the ingredients were organic and from our own garden! Thanks for ALL you do!
Jack
Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed it Jack. The thing that makes this salad excel is good organic stuff from your own garden! If you used tasteless store-bought stuff — it would be nothing to get excited about.
Theresa