What could be nicer on a warm summer’s evening than a cool spinach salad with fresh, sweet strawberries, sliced apple, onion, and nicely candied pecans?
Why, a spinach salad with all of that good stuff all topped off with your own, home made, lemon poppy seed salad dressing!
I first came across this dressing recipe to go with a winter fruit salad, and after cutting the sugar called for in half, I’ve found that it goes well in any season…
INGREDIENTS
Poppyseed Dressing:
•Juice of 2 lemons to make 1/2 cup
•1/2 small onion – 3/4 cup, diced
•1 tsp Dijon prepared mustard
•1/2 tsp seasoned salt
•2/3 cup canola oil
•1 tbsp poppy seeds
Spinach Salad:
•1 bag baby spinach, washed and well dried
•1 sweet onion, sliced thin
•1 pint strawberries, halved
•1 apple, cored and cubed
•Candied pecans
Make the salad dressing by combining the onion, Dijon mustard, seasoned salt, and lemon juice in the jar of your blender.
Purée until the onion is nicely minced and the ingredients well combined.
Scrape down the sides and, with the blender running, slo-o-owly stream in the vegetable oil through the hole in the lid until the dressing has emulsified.
Scrape down the sides again, then add the poppy seeds and pulse three or four times just to combine. Store the dressing in a jar with a tight fitting lid.
Note: this dressing will separate on standing, but just give the jar a good shake just before using, and you will be good to go.
For the salad, core and dice the apple, then toss with a bit of the salad dressing – the lemon will keep it from turning brown – the set aside in a small bowl until needed.
Toss the spinach with the onion, strawberries, and candied pecans.
Just before serving, add the prepared apple and toss. Serve with additional dressing on the side.
Even with the dressing-coated apple added, this salad will keep pretty well in the fridge for a couple of days – tho’ that last day will see the spinach looking pretty wilted.
Oh, and about those candied pecans…
I know I’ve included a link to a fine recipe, but, I’ve made a few, ermmm, adjustments, and I believe they are even better now.
Check out that recipe, next week…