Salad thoughts on 90-degree days with 150% humidity

There is something about the advent of summer in D.C. that screams, “Salad!” 

As produce starts multiplying in farmers’ markets and fruits start to come closer to local, a salad with or without a protein topper (to make it an entrée salad) is thoughtfully satisfying.

Under the new rules of everything-fusion cookery, virtually everything is fair game as a salad add-in:  grains, beans, fruits, vegetable, nuts, herbs and pebbles.  Well, maybe not pebbles.  The salad below could be considered an early summer baseline. 

Peaches and blackberries (just now local to Virginia) are just coming in, so I have highlighted them, but serious substitutions could be strawberries, watermelon or plums. The idea is to blend disparate ingredients from the fruit and veg families and tie it together with a range of textures and a citrusy vinaigrette that reminds one how light and healthy this meal can be. 

Slightly underripe stone fruit works best; t holds its crunch when doused in vinaigrette.  Any greens work, especially if just plucked from the soil, but for some reason spinach seems to stay cooler on the palate.  Who knows why?  Cucumbers serve the same purpose; perhaps because of the high-water content.  A touch of onion adds a savory undertone and the texture of dried fruits when mixed with nuts and a piquant cheese round out the tactile experience

 A terrific topper for this salad is a salmon steak, seared and streaked with a little herb oil.  Grilled chicken is not bad, but even crispy buffalo fried chicken, or a burger patty would not be out of place.  There are a couple of notes about treatment of the nuts.  At a minimum, toast them, but if you’re turning on the oven, why infuse some additional flavor.  Pepper almonds and sweet spiced pecans both work well.

Spinach salad with Peaches and Sweet spiced pecans

 Components

Spinach, or other greens, washed and towel dried or salad-spun

Red onion (diced and rinsed)

Cucumber, sliced lengthwise and cut on the bias in bite size pieces

Red peppers (optional), julienne

Dry apricots (sliced) & cranberries

Peaches 4-5 slices (peel, cut into moons and hold in orange juice)

S/P

Garnish:

Blue cheese

3 Blackberries

Sweet spiced pecans (or sub pepper almonds, see below)

Vinaigrette:

1 T Dijon mustard

1 cup orange juice and 1 cup lime juice.  If using fresh juice, add the zest; (or substitute frozen concentrate:   4 oz. both orange and lime; about 1/3 can each)

1 cups water (if using concentrate)

½ cup apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup honey

Handful parsley, larger stems removed, rinsed & dried

Salt/Pepper

¼ cup cranberries and apricots

3 cups EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

Procedure:

1. Make the vinaigrette.  In a blender, combine the mustard, apple cider vinegar, citrus juices, honey and a small handful of the dried cranberries and apricots.  Blend.
2. Add parsley and salt and pepper.  Taste for sweet/sour balance.  With motor running, stream olive oil into the mix.  Taste again.  Hold.
3. Red onion:  small dice (or sub sweet Vidalia style onion or scallions).  Place in wire strainer and rinse under cold water.  This is a great trick to take some of the sulfur “bite” out of the onion but leave a savory undercurrent.
4. Cut apricots into thin slivers, mix with cranberries.   Hold.
5. Toast nuts.  Preheat oven 350 degrees:

1. Spiced Pecans:  mix about a teaspoon each of salt, pepper, brown sugar and ½ teaspoon of chile powder or cayenne.  In bowl, sprinkle over 1-2# nuts.  Separate yolk from one egg (save yolk for another use) and drizzle white over nuts.  With incredibly clean hands, toss the nut mixture.  Spread on parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet and toast about 5 minutes until nuts take on a touch of color—or you start to smell them.
2. Pepper Almonds:  This is a trick for a surprising addition to a variety of salads.  Combine 1-2# shaved or slivered almonds with egg white, a copious amount of black pepper and a small amount of salt.  Toast in oven until the almonds dry and take on the merest hint of color.  These are addictive as a snack.  And a huge surprise for a salad add-in.

6. Service; You are ready:  In bowl, toss spinach, peaches, touch of red onion, about 1 T dried fruit combo, red peppers, cucumber and salt and pepper.  A note about salt and pepper in salads:  often, cooks do not salt and pepper the greens in a salad.  This is a mistake.  Like most foods, a touch of seasoning helps meld all the other flavors together.  Drizzle a small amount of dressing over greens.  Do not over-dress.  About a teaspoon per serving is sufficient--really. Pass more dressing on the side if the small amount worries you.  Plate the greens, mounding in the middle. 
7. Garnish with crumbled blue cheese, a few blackberries and the spiced nuts.  Ah, summer.