Monday, February 4, 2013

A Berry Special Spring Salad

The salad is best served with crisp white wine and fresh cold prawns on a spring day.

When I arrived in NYC last year, the Chelsea Food Market was one of my first culinary discoveries. A huge space dedicated to the freshest of produce, seafood and sweets galore. I wanted make a salad that was completely inspired by spring time in New York, with ingredients that I didn't often cook with.

A good salad should always leave your taste buds confused or weeping with joy. I wanted to use vegetables and fruits, as well as the sweet and savory elements of a regular salad. Using gorgonzola cheese in this salad heightens the contrast in sweetness the fruits offer. 

Ingredients

1 cup pearl couscous
1 small eggplant
1 cup of black berries
1 cup of cherry tomatoes
¼ cup of pomegranate seeds  
½ cup of gorgonzola cheese
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Slice the eggplant lengthways and sweat out bitterness with salt. Cook the pearl couscous and set aside to cool. When the eggplant has sweated juices, pat dry with a paper towel and grill press them quickly to score the outside with heat. In a bowl, combine the couscous, eggplant, berries, tomatoes, pomegranate and gorgonzola, tossing lightly. For the dressing combine Dijon mustard, lemon juice and olive oil. Splash liberally.