These summer salads amplify the bounty of seasonal produce with intensely flavored dressings that are easy to make. Simple is anything but boring when you can make a fresh dressing in minutes. Choose the right emulsifier to add to your dressing to prevent separation, whether you prefer it flowy or full-bodied, there is an additive that can help you customize it that spot where it’s just right.
Ingredients
- Vinaigrette Ingredients:
- 240g (8oz) Parsley
- 240g (8oz) Baby Spinach
- 1000g (1 quart) Neutral Flavored Oil
- 240g (1 cup) Lemon Juice
- 5g (1 tbsp) Salt
- Emulsifier Choose One From the List Below:
- 16g (1 tbsp) Soy Lecithin Powder
- 2.7g (½ tsp) Polysorbate 80
- 27g (2 tbsp) Acacia Gum
- 0.5g (⅛ tsp) Perfected Xanthan Gum
- 5.4g (1 tbsp) 210s
- 2.2g (½ tsp) Perfected Guar Gum
- Salad Ingredients:
- 400g (14 oz) Mixed Greens (or other sweet greens)
- 240g (8 oz) Black Cherries, Pitted and Quartered
- 240g (8 oz) Cherry Tomatoes
- 2 Bell Peppers
- 1 Pinch Salt Per Salad
- 1 Pinch Black Pepper Per Salad
Equipment
- Blender
Timing
Active Time: 20 Minutes
Total Time: 4 – 6 Hours
Yield
4 Servings
-
Prepare Infused Oil
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place the spinach and parsley into the pot and boil for 30 seconds to a minute.
Remove the greens from the pot and shock them in a bowl of ice water. Stir this well to make sure they are cooled thoroughly.
Remove all the greens and place them between paper towels to dry them. Press the greens until they are barely damp to the touch. You may need to replace the paper towels 2-3 times to make sure they are dry enough.
Refrigerate both the oil and blanched greens for 30 minutes to 1 hour before the next step.
-
Blend Greens
In a blender add the cold oil and the dried blanched greens.
Blend the oil and greens for 1 minute or until the mixture becomes a bright green color.
Strain the it well and allow it to sit for 2-4 hours to separate out any water and release all the bubbles
-
Emulsify Dressing
Measure out 500g (16oz) of oil for the vinaigrette.
In a clean blender add the lemon juice salt and emulsifier. Blend this for 2 minutes or until fully combined.
Keep the blender on low speed and slowly add the oil in a thin steady stream until all combined and emulsified, this will take anywhere from 1 minute to 3 minutes depending on how slowly you pour.
Remove from the blender and place it in a sealed container. Refrigerate until needed.
-
Prepare Salad
Use a vegetable peeler to peel thin layers of the skin off of the bell peppers. It’s okay if you don’t get all of it. Thinly slice these skins into long strips. Place them in ice water and put them in the refrigerator. After about an hour they will curl up into a fun garnish.
To make the salad, place 3-4 oz of mixed greens or other sweet greens, tomatoes, red pepper curls and black cherries in a bowl and dress the greens with 2 tbsp of the lemon parsley vinaigrette. Add a pinch of salt and black pepper to season the greens.
In the center of a plate place the roasted plum and top it with a tablespoon of goat cheese.
Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients to make up to 4 salads. Serve immediately.
Summary
Recipe Name
Black Cherry and Tomato Salad
Author Name
Modernist Pantry
Published On
Preparation Time
Total Time
