COMMENT:
Ponchatoula is the strawberry capital of the world. It is surprising
to the residents of this sleepy South Louisiana town that the rest
of the world considers strawberries a dessert ingredient only. Here,
they may be found in soups, sauces, as a flavor ingredient over
pork roast or lamb or as the perfect finish to a crisp crunchy spring
salad.
INGREDIENTS:
- 10 ounces fresh lettuce, cleaned and dried
- 1 pint ripe Louisiana strawberries, sliced
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
- 4 tbsps Boone's strawberry wine
- 6 ounces vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
METHOD:
Remember to rinse lettuce 2 - 3 times under cold running water to
ensure that all sand and grit are removed from leaves. Dry well
and set aside. When selecting strawberries for this salad, Ponchatoula
berries are always best and should be slightly over-ripe but not
mushy. I prefer to buy a 5-ounce block of Parmesan cheese and hand
grate it using the large holes of a grater. Create the sauce by
combining egg yolk, Balsamic vinegar and strawberry wine in a stainless
steel bowl. Using a wire whisk, combine ingredients until well incorporated.
Slowly drizzle the vegetable oil into the egg yolk mixture in a
steady stream, whisking constantly. A smooth emulsified dressing
will emerge. Add thyme and tarragon and season to taste using salt
and pepper. Continue whisking until ingredients are well-blended.
The dressing may be stored in a glass jar in the refrigerator until
ready to use. When ready to serve, toss lettuce with extra virgin
olive oil and drizzle with the desired amount of strawberry vinaigrette.
Once the leaves are shining from the sauce, but not wilted, add
strawberries and cheese and toss once or twice to incorporate. Serve
in a large, crystal salad bowl to showcase the vivid colors of this
salad. |
