Don’t you just love fruit in salads? There’s something so delicious about the mixing of the sweet flavours with a vinaigrette and other salad ingredients. The cheese in this one adds flavour (and protein) and because I was making this around Valentine’s Day, I cut the cheese into heart shapes (see how in photograph below). There are also some pickled beets in this salad, that we made from scratch (method here) because we like to make things, but any pickled beets would be good.
To make the vinaigrette: to serve two or three
1/3 cup olive oil
1/8 to 1/4 cup of vinegar, depending on how tangy you like your dressing. I used part red wine vinegar and part Balsamic.
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
A couple of dashes of Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 teaspoon each of dried oregano and basil
1/4 teaspoon each of salt and sugar
A good grinding of fresh pepper
Whisk this all together and let sit while you prepare the rest of the salad (although it can be made the previous evening and stored in the fridge. Bring to room temperature and shake well before using).
To make the salad: I used mixed baby lettuces and some arugula but use whatever greens you prefer. Place them on a plate and spoon vinaigrette over top. Mix together 1/4 cup per person each of chopped beets (Note: they will stain your cutting board, so you might want to cut them on a plate), and fresh blueberries. Divide this over your salad.
Top each with the cheese, cut into cubes or heart shapes if desired. The cheese hearts were made from mozzarella. I made hearts because it was Valentine’s Day, but simple cubes of mozzarella, white cheddar, Monterey Jack or feta are all delicious in this salad!
I hope you try this beet and blueberry salad!
xo
loulou
