Do cherries and beets sound like an odd combination? Understandable.
But the sweetness of perfectly ripe cherries and the earthy roasted beets play so well together against the backdrop of the salty and creamy feta. This Cherry Beet Summer Salad doesn’t need an official dressing. A simple drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (this is the time for that good EVOO you’ve been hoarding!), lemon zest, and a sprinkling of flaky salt does the trick.
This is one of my ‘no-recipe’ recipes. The amounts are recommendations only. Don’t have feta? Try goat cheese. Substitute almonds for pistachios. Use arugula instead of romaine. Have a fresh basil instead of mint, cool. It’s all going to work.
Happy Eating,
~Monique
Cherry Beet Summer Salad
1 cup fresh cherries, pitted and chopped in half
1 cup roasted, chopped beets
2 cups romaine lettuce, torn
1/4 cup pistachios
2 oz crumbled feta cheese ~roughly 1/4 cup
1/4 cup sliced watermelon radish (or radish of choice)
2 tbls extra virgin olive oil
Lemon zest from 1 lemon
Pinch or two of flaked salt
Optional: a few springs of fresh mint or dill
Choose a large, shallow bowl. Fill the bowl with torn lettuce leaves.
Remove the pits from the cherries and slice in half. Slice the beets to a similar size. Thinly slice the radishes. Add each ingredient to the bowl.
Add the pistachios and feta cheese to the salad bowl.
Zest a lemon over the top. Drizzle the whole thing with extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of flaked salt and a few sprigs of fresh herbs. Enjoy.
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