At this time of year, I’m so tempted to throw in a simple green salad tossed with lemon juice and olive oil. whatever the main I serve for dinner every night. When green vegetables are so fresh and tasty, why complicate life? Well, I’ll tell you why: Because adding a dynamic little duo—cheese and fruit—takes your salad to the next level, with very little energy expended. Here are four of my favorite combos:
Strawberries + Feta
“You can always, always, always count on feta to make a wonderful salad from just about any summer fruit,” says Emily Nunn, author of the hugely popular Salad Department newsletter. “The salty, slightly creamy flavor is perfect with watermelon or cantaloupe, stone fruits (peaches, plums, nectarines), tomatoes or any berries.” Personally, I’m sensitive to how feta pairs with the sweet acidity of strawberries. To try: Toss gem lettuce with cooled roasted beets, strawberries, torn mint, crumbled feta, green onions and crushed pistachios. Bandage: In a small jar or measuring cup, shake or whisk 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 1/2 tsp honey, salt and pepper. Once mixed, shake or whisk 1/3 cup olive oil into the jar in a steady stream until emulsified.
Blueberries + Goat cheese
Goat’s cheese flavor has always benefited from a touch of sweetness – think how often you see it paired with things like honey, jam or dried fruit – so it only makes sense that it’s a partner natural summer blueberries. (Shown are July Maine blueberries, but I’m not holding you that high.) To try: Combine romaine lettuce (or mesclun), goat cheese, blueberries, green onions and toasted pecans. Bandage: In a small jar or measuring cup, combine 1/4 cup sherry vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, salt and pepper. Once mixed, shake or whisk 1/2 cup oil into the jar in a steady stream until emulsified.
Peaches/Nectarines + Blue Cheese
Juicy stone fruits – peaches and nectarines, in particular – are a classic match for a tasty, zesty blue. It sounds strange, but mold loves sugar! You just want to make sure you have the ripest fruit you can find – a slice of unripe, tart nectarine or peach doesn’t work here. To try: Combine tomatoes (all kinds, but cut into bite-size pieces if not grapes or cherries), peach chunks and crumbled blue cheese. Greens: optional. Bandage: A little olive oil, salt and pepper.
Figs + Halloumi (or Parma or Blue or Almost Anything)
There’s a reason fig jam has been popping up on cheese plates across the internet and IRL for the past decade: Figs pair well with almost any flavor, from pungent (Parm) to stinky (Blue) and like ripe figs author Yasmin Khan recalled last year, to salty (halloumi, above). “For me, the best food combinations are as much about texture as they are about flavor,” says Khan. “In a fig and halloumi salad, the contrast between the sweet, sticky fruit and the salty, chewy fried cheese gives you the perfect mouthfeel.” To try: Yasmin’s salad! Or arugula with crumbled blue cheese, quartered ripe figs, green onions, chives. Bandage: In a small jar or measuring cup, shake or whisk 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar, 1/2 tsp sugar, salt and pepper. Once mixed, shake or whisk 1/2 cup oil into the jar in a steady stream until emulsified.
PS A tip for potato salad And the only five dressings you need.
(Photo of figs and halloumi for ripe figs by Matt Russel.)
