Strawberry Balsamic Salad with Aged Gouda and Walnuts
[Photo credit: Alex Paternostro]
by Seth Paternostro
October 22, 2021
Savour and pop goes the gouda, rip the red lettuce, and smoosh the strawberry in this friendly salad. The whole combines with a toss and minimal loss, making its way to plop on your plate. The bite of a berry balsamic vinaigrette balances the rich notes of the cheese, while the curves and tender crushing of walnuts finish off the salad.
Serves 4
Total time
30 minutes
Equipment:
cutting board, paring knife, peeler, salad spinner or paper towels, large mixing bowl, pint jar with lid, spoon, measuring cups and spoons, tasting spoon
Tableware:
plates and utensils
Ingredients
1 head red leaf lettuce
18-month aged Gouda, as needed
1 lb fresh strawberries
1 cup toasted walnut halves
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup red wine vinegar
8 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp dijon mustard
2 tsp honey
Black pepper, as needed
Salt, as needed
Instructions
Set out all equipment, tableware, and ingredients. Rinse the fruit and vegetables.
Hull the strawberries, then cut them into halves.
Combine the strawberries with the honey, and let macerate while working on the rest of the salad.
Remove the core of the lettuce and any sad-looking outer leaves. Pull the leaves off of the lettuce, then tear into roughly 3-inch by 3-inch pieces.
Place the lettuce in a salad spinner, and spin dry. You can also dry the leaves individually with paper towels.
In the pint jar, combine the balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, dijon mustard, ¼ tsp black pepper, and ¼ tsp salt.
Pour off any liquid the strawberries have released, and add it to the vinaigrette.
Shake the jar to emulsify the vinaigrette, taste, and adjust as desired.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the lettuce and strawberries.
Toss the salad with the vinaigrette, taste, and adjust if needed.
Divide into serving portions, shave over slices of the aged cheese, and finish with the nuts.
NUTRITION FACTS:
Calories 391 Total Fat 35.4g (45%) Saturated Fat 6g (30%) Cholesterol 8mg (3%) Sodium 94mg (4%) Total Carbohydrate 14.8g (5%) Dietary Fiber 4g (14%) Total Sugars 9g Protein 5.4g Vitamin D 0mcg (0%) Calcium 130mg (10%) Iron 2mg (10%) Potassium 374mg (8%) - Note: Please read our Nutrition Disclaimer.
Seth Paternostro is a writer and recipe developer based in Chicago. He is a co-founder of Our American Cuisine and graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University with an A.B. in East Asian Studies. You can learn more about him here.
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