One of the things I miss most about my time spent living in the Midwest is the changing of the seasons. Don’t get my wrong. I understand that living in Southern California, I am certainly spoiled by the weather, but with the two options being hot and hotter, I sometimes reminisce about a cool fall breeze, or a refreshing spring shower (I don’t get too carried away about missing Chicago winters, however).
Fortunately for me, we’ve been experiencing a particularly unusual summer, and have had several days of rain. If I could hand-pick any sort of rain from the sky, it would undoubtedly be a warm summer rain. I can probably count on one hand how many times we’ve had them here in the So.Cal., but I love them just the same. To me, they act as a gentle reminder to appreciate the amazing weather we have every other day of the year. But more importantly, just as April showers bring May flowers, summer rains promise even more than the average colorful and delicious bounty of crops.
My latest venture to the local farmer’s market left me overwhelmed by the season’s harvest of crimson-colored berries, stone fruit in every hue of the rainbow, and the techni-color array of vegetables available. And after tasting my new favorite herb, the sour-lemon-like sorrel greens at the beloved Saly Cortile Cucina a few weeks back, I was pleasantly surprised to find a bundle of such greens for the picking at my favorite stand. Traditionally, sorrel is a spring green, but with Southern California’s climate the way it is, it was a welcome find on this hot summer day. Needless to say, I left the market with my arms full of produce and the wheels in my head turning.
When I got home, I knew exactly what I’d serve alongside my grilled chicken that night. Making quick work of the strawberries and plums, I arranged them atop a generous pile of peppery arugula and the tart sorrel greens. I then whipped up a quick balsamic vinaigrette, and called it a day. Kenny gave me his stamp of approval when he went for seconds of this Summer Harvest Salad a la Jenny, and I made variations for days, only stopping when I ran out of ingredients. I can’t wait to see what else they have for my salad fixings next week!
I’ve included the basic recipe for you, but know that it is very easily adaptable. Want to make this a main dish? Add goat cheese or slivered almonds for some protein. Don’t have plums? How about fresh peaches, instead? Use your imagination, and get inspired by what you find in your garden or local farmer’s market.
- 2 cups baby arugula
- 2 cups sorrel greens, roughly chopped
- 1 cup fresh berries (I used strawberries, but blueberries would be nice here, too)
- 1 cup fresh stone fruit, sliced (I used plums, but apricots or peaches would work)
- Balsamic vinegar
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- In a large bowl, combine the arugula with the sorrel greens, and toss to combine.
- Add the berries and stone fruit.
- In a separate small bowl, make your vinaigrette by whisking together the vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.
- Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad, and serve.
Love this. It’s an amazing salad!
I LOVE adding summer berries to my salads!! MM-MMM
Ooh, this looks great – and your descriptions are mouthwatering! I don’t know if I’ve tried sorrel greens… I’ll look out for them at the next farmer’s market 🙂