Last week the California Strawberry Commission hosted an event for bloggers and food writers in San Francisco. Cheryl Sternman Rule was on hand discussing her amazing book, Ripe: A Fresh, Colorful Approach to Fruits and Vegetables. After the event, the CA Strawberry Commission shared recipes that I am privileged to share with you. One of my favorites is the California Strawberry Salad, a recipe developed by True Food Kitchen. True Food Kitchen is a restaurant with several locations in Southern California and Arizona. It was developed in partnership with Andrew Weil, MD and their goal is to make mouthwatering food that is also great for your health. I hope they have plans to move to the Bay Area!
For more great strawberry recipes, check out the recipe collection at the CA Strawberry Commission website.
- 2 cups snap peas, cleaned
- 1 fennel bulb, diced
- 1 pint strawberries, washed and sliced
- 4 oz baby greens
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for roasting
- 1 Tbsp agave nectar
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1⁄2 cup goat cheese
- 1⁄2 cup toasted walnuts
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Blanch the snap peas in salted boiling water for 30 seconds. Refresh in ice water immediately after cooking to lock in the bright green color and to keep from overcooking.
- Lay out the fennel on a sheet pan. Season with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast snap peas at 375 degrees for 10 minutes or until tender and caramelized. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 45 minutes.
- Arrange strawberries, baby greens, blanched snap peas and roasted fennel in a large salad bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the agave nectar and balsamic vinegar with the olive oil to create the vinaigrette. Whisk until incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Divide on four plates and drizzle vinaigrette over the salad. Top the salad with equal parts goat cheese and walnuts.