Rainier Cherries and Chevre Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
This is a sweet and tangy summer salad topped with a naturally fat free dressing that will have you licking the bowl. The dressing gets its thickness from the pectin in natural raspberry preserves and omits oil from the dressing all together. The fats you need to maximize nutrition from all those fruits and greens comes in the form of creamy and smooth soft chevre cheese. The sweetness of Rainier cherries is set off by the slight hint of heat from cayenne and a lingering touch of anise to surprise the palate. Raspberry Vinaigrette Salad Nutritional Information
Which is a long and fancy way of saying: go out and make this salad while cherries are still in season. But then again, I probably had you convinced as soon as you saw that succulent photo. This salad makes a delightful lunch or a great first course. It is a nice summery change from the more standard pear or apple salads. Best of all, you can easily whip it up for a solo lunch for one, or multiply the recipe to serve a small army.
2 teaspoons raspberry preserves
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
pinch sea salt
pinch anise seed
pinch Mediterranean oregano
2 turns freshly ground black pepper
small dash cayenne pepper
Whisk preserves and vinegar together in a bowl until well combined. Add seasonings and whisk to combine. Taste. Adjust seasonings to your preference. If you are sensitive to hot spice, start with a very small pinch (a "smidge") of cayenne, and build up from there.
1 ounce chevre cheese
8-10 Rainier cherries, pitted
fresh dill
Toss salad greens in raspberry vinaigrette. Top with chevre, dill and cherries.
Note: The fat content comes almost entirely from the fat content of the chevre. My brand has only 5 grams of fat per ounce serving. The content may vary, so be sure to read your labels and select accordingly. Also, if you are watching your sugars, this dressing mixes up very well with the low-sugar style of preserves as well.
I'm sending this one on over to Astrid from Paulchen's Food Blog for Weekend Herb Blogging
17 comments:
Where are you getting cherries from? I haven't seen any in the markets.
What an unusual and most exciting recipe to try...ya got me, I'm smitten with this.
Sounds delicious! I was telling my husband that I wanted to make a salad with fresh cherries and Chevre for dinner. Looks so good, Erin!
Vixen-I bought ours from Whole Foods. I believe they are California grown. I'm willing to fudge on 'local' from time to time. Still waiting on Michigan cherries to start coming.
Peter, always a pleasure to smite you. it sounds so biblical when I say it like that though...
Johnsonia, more dinner tables need tasty salads with fruit. I'm all for it.
Nice job - that looks sensational! Don't think I've ever seen Rainier cherries before (or whether they're available here in Aus) but will certainly keep an eye out for them!
Interesting raspberry vinaigrette. I'll have to give it a try. I love throwing salads together... having some kind of dressing prepared, etc... And pear and apple salads do get boring.
What a really tasty sounding summer salad!
I'm hypnotised by your pictures.. wow.. I'm hungry! What a great combination! :-)
wow-a what a chouette blog---tres classe! chicago! chicago chicago i wanna go to chicago! the photos of those chick peas are incredible by the way. Thank you for your comment on my blog--i havn't made my own bread in so long, as i dont really have a kitchen, but i try a lot to make gluten free bread--and its a pill! baking really is a scientific art--
but i say pooh to your husband---don't give in! get that starter going again and you'll have beautiful round golden sourdough loaves mastered in time for next thanksgiving which will make all those at the table forget the turkey and stare in awe! and your husband will lower his head in shame!
yes im always this dramatic.
bisous!
This looks fabulous too--and so easy! Must find cherries, stat!
Thanks for stopping by. I think you were referring to is cheap healthy good? I'm just starting to get into all the food blogs, and would spend a fortune trying all the recipes if I could.
The shrimp tacos looked so fabulous, they are on my list (raspberries and all!), and I will try them soon! Very inventive. If the boyfriend thinks it is a weird combo, then... more for me!
What a beautiful Summer salad! The dressing looks great!
Gorgeous, it looks just fantastic. Love your new photo too.
Raspberry vinaigrette sounds very interesting!
WIW this looks amazing! I jut tried to bite the screen... lol!
Nice to see another blogger from Chicago. That raspberry vinaigrette will get likely get some heavy use in my kitchen.
y can't i eat like this everyday?? i love any kind of berry in my salad; and chick peas--always a goodie. :) nice job.
i'm snacking on my rainier cherries as i read your blog.. hmnn.. this is another excellent way to enjoy them. thank you for sharing.
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