Baby Arugula Salad w/Raspberry Vinaigrette

 

About this recipe:

The slightly spicy, super nutty Arugula pairs perfectly with the sweet-tart Raspberry vinaigrette, and the salty-funkiness of the Blue Cheese and toasty crunch of Toasted Hazelnuts.

Honestly, any salty, tangy cheese would work well here: Blue, Feta, Goat, etc, but we especially love Blue Cheese in this salad. We round it all out with the cool, crisp sweetness of our 7082 Trial Cucumbers, and a little colorful zing from shaved Red Onions (or Shallots). It’s a perfect mid-summer salad, honoring all the good stuff growing right now in our garden.

Ingredients:

For the Salad:

  • 4oz Baby Arugula

  • 1-2 Small Cucumbers

  • 1/4 cup Shaved Red Onion (or  Shallot)

  • 2-3oz Crumbled Blue Cheese

  • 1/4 cup Chopped Hazelnuts

  • 1/4 cup Fresh Raspberries

For the Vinaigrette:

  • 3/4 cup Fresh Raspberries

  • 2 Tablespoons Champagne Vinegar (or White Wine Vinegar)

  • 2 Tablespoons Distilled White Vinegar

  • 2 Tablespoons Water

  • 1 Tablespoon Honey

  • 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

  • 1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt

  • Pinch of Black Pepper

  • 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

For the Dressing:
Combine the 3/4 cup Raspberries, Vinegars, Water and Honey in a blender and blend on high for one minute. Strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove seeds. Pour into a half-pint mason jar, add Dijon Mustard, Kosher Salt, Black Pepper, and Olive Oil. Seal and shake to combine. Dressing will keep, refrigerated for up to a week.

For the Salad:
Rinse the Arugula in several changes of water, then use a salad spinner or lay on dry kitchen towels to dry.

Meanwhile, slice the Cucumbers into quarters length-wise, and into one-inch pieces. Smash the cucumber pieces with the side of a knife or a rolling pin. This will soften the cukes and release their juices.

Place the Hazelnuts in a skillet over medium heat, and toast, shaking the skillet frequently until golden. Remove from the pan immediately.

Crumble 2-3 ounces of Blue Cheese (we love Jasper Hill Farm’s Bailey Hazen Blue, or Great Hill Farm Blue Cheese).

In a large bowl, toss about 1/3 of the dressing with the Baby Arugula. Spread the Arugula in an even layer on a large serving platter, sprinkle with shaved Red Onion, Toasted Hazelnuts, Smashed Cucumbers, Crumbled Blue Cheese, and 1/4 cup of Fresh Raspberries. Drizzle with a few Tablespoons of the dressing. Serve immediately.