Salads and Farmers Markets – It’s all Green

The Rockland Farmer’s Market opens today and through no fault of my own, coincides perfectly with this weeks column in the PPH about salads and greens.  With all of the micro and baby greens available to us this time of year, the old stand by of tomato, cucumber and lettuce salads dressed with ranch should be a thing of the past, at least for a little while, until tomatoes and cucumbers are fresh from the garden and irresistible in a number of ways including salads.

The baby greens and baby kale that have just made their way into my refrigerator will become the basis for a number of salads, as will the goat cheese from Appleton Creamery.  The greens are light and delicate so will be accompanied by same in ingredients.  The kale will receive a heartier paring.

Fiore olive oils and vinegars have become a staple for us in our salads and while the company suggests pairing a flavored olive oil with a flavored vinegar, I find they are too special and precious to use both in combination so it’s the standard good extra virgin olive oil pared with a flavor vinegar such as my favorites Black Cherry or Pomegranate Balsamic Vinegars.  For the summer, I’ll end up using the Grapefruit White Balsamic or the Summer Peach White Balsamic.

Favorite salad combinations:
Baby greens, dried apricots, shaved fennel and pinenuts dressed with my standard olive oil and Summer Peach White Balsamic.
Baby kale, Appleton Creamery goat cheese, dried cranberries, toasted walnuts dressed with my standard olive oil and Black Cherry Balsamic.
Oakleaf lettuce, sliced pears, caramelized walnuts and blue cheese dressed with lemon juice and Blood Orange Olive Oil.

The combinations are endless and you almost can’t go wrong.

Annie
Thinking of what salad to have with tonight’s lasagna.