When the days are the longest and berries are the sweetest, I tend to overbuy. Even with two school-aged boys who are bottomless pits, we always seem to lose a few to the dreaded white mold. So when you tire of baking pies and fruit tarts and need a quick meal or salad for your summer soirée, this classic combination is an antioxidant-loaded way to enjoy ripe berries.
The Story
Inspired by a seasonal salad we served when I worked at Bouchon in Yountville, California, the spicy arugula, creamy fresh cheese, pop of juicy fruit, and tart lemon vinaigrette is a fun way to eat your greens with a side of strawberry rebellion. Fresh goat cheese never made me angry, either. If you come across farmer’s cheese (or make it yourself), that would be the holy grail. Toasted nuts, or candied ones if indulgence is called for, lend textural balance and protein.
And while the fruit served at Bouchon is straight outta the incredible French Laundry Garden, we can do nearly as well at our local farmer’s market or CSA (community-supported agriculture, the original produce delivery service).
Picking the Best Berries
Ripe strawberries are free from any white around the stem and the leaves should look bright and perky. Ripe, fresh blueberries will be deep in color, plump, and covered in “bloom”, which is a natural whitish cast on their skin that protects them from the sun. Bloom tells you the blueberries were picked correctly in dry conditions, and are nice and firm.
Look for organic berries on sale at your local market or Whole Foods, which isn’t a bargain store but isn’t as much Whole Paycheck as it used to be. Especially if you have Amazon Prime, the member price-per-pound for organic strawberries sometimes beats Costco’s in the summer.
Conventional (non-organic) berries at most national retailers currently cost less than $3 a pound. And if that price makes you happy, those are the berries for you. Strawberries are at the top of the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen list, so to avoid excessive exposure to pesticides wash them well and enjoy them in moderation.
Recommended Listening
To set the mood for preparing said food. This week’s picks are rather obvious.
“The Room Where It Happened” from Hamilton (Chef’s pick), “American Idiot” by Green Day, “Coming to America” by Neil Diamond, “American Pie” by Don McLean, or if you want your kids and grandkids to think you’re hip and cool this Fourth of July, “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus.
The Vinaigrette
The lemon vinaigrette is the only from-scratch portion of this recipe (but if you prefer the convenience of bottled dressing, you do you). I find that fresh-squeezed citrus brings more zing than bottled juice. But if you are making a salad at home, instead of ordering pizza, your source for lemon juice is nearly irrelevant.
When you do buy your next bottle of juice or even dressing, however, look for one without added sugar, and sans preservatives, too. I’ve never understood why lemon juice needed preservatives given its pH of 2, but... oh, right, profits (another rabbit hole I’ll dive down soon).
The Formula
The textbook formula for a vinaigrette is one part sour or acidic liquid and three parts oil. Aged and sweeter types of vinegar like sherry often require a 1:2 ratio for the right balance. If you use fresh-squeezed lemon juice and only a touch of honey, I find four times as much oil to juice is needed to prevent cheek puckering.
You can simply add more honey if you like, instead of more oil. But I like to keep my lemon vinaigrette fairly pure so it keeps a while and remains versatile enough for grilled vegetables. If you have limes and oranges in the house don’t go out and buy lemons. Both, or a combination, would be bright and delicious. Since orange juice is much sweeter, taste the vinaigrette frequently as you add the oil, you’ll need much less.
Chef’s Tips
Taste the berries before mixing the vinaigrette. If your berries are incredibly sweet, you may not even need or want honey in the dressing. But if the fruit is underripe, honey may be just the ticket. Raw honey is one of nature’s miracles, so I enjoy it in moderation without an ounce of guilt.
On washing berries. I often don’t wash my berries unless they look visibly dirty (a rinse under running water won’t eliminate harmful bacteria). But if you do, wait until right before you eat them and rinse them quickly under a trickle of cold water. Excess water will turn berries soggy and mushy, so be sure to dry them well.
Make the most of the vinaigrette. Don’t neglect your leftover dressing. Especially if you go easy on the honey, you can drizzle it over baby greens for a side salad with morning eggs (very French, très bien!), toss grilled meat and vegetables with it, or use it as a marinade with garlic, onions, and herbs.
Berry & Arugula Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
serves 4 to 6
makes 1¼ cups of vinaigrette
ready in less than 10
Ingredients
¼ cup of lemon juice (from one large or two small lemons)
1 teaspoon of honey (simply eyeball it)
1 cup of avocado or olive oil*
Pine nuts, pecans, or walnuts, toasted (or just buy unsalted, roasted)
1 container or bag of baby arugula (about 5 ounces)
about 12 strawberries, destemmed and quartered or sliced
A few handfuls of blueberries
Fresh goat cheese or farmer’s cheese
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
Method
Toast the nuts. If you like, toast your nuts in a shallow pan over medium heat until fragrant and lightly brown.
Mix the vinaigrette. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, a pinch of flake salt, and a drizzle or squeeze of honey, if using. Measure out the oil in a glass or container with a spout, and slowly pour it into the lemon juice while whisking constantly. It helps to place the bowl on a damp towel to keep it steady. Likewise, blend or shake together all of the dressing ingredients until smooth. Pour the dressing back into your measuring glass or storage container (my favorite is a BPA-free squeeze bottle).
Combine the berries, greens, nuts, and dressing. In the same mixing bowl or a larger one if you need it, add the arugula, chopped strawberries, blueberries, and toasted nuts. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt, drizzle with the vinaigrette to your liking, and toss gently to combine.
Plate the coated salad, and add the cheese. Transfer the mixed salad to your plate(s), and add small dollops of goat cheese all around. Freshly grind or sprinkle over ground black pepper, it’s an intriguing pairing with the strawberries especially.
Notes
*I will only ever recommend avocado, olive oil, or oil of mostly monounsaturated fat. However, many are expensive, and in your kitchen, you’re the boss. I find warehouse stores offer great prices on olive and avocado oil, and many are of a higher quality than you’d expect.