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Recipe: Strawberry-Arugula Salad with Ricotta Topping

Faith Durand
Faith DurandSenior Vice President of Content at AT Media
Faith is the SVP of Content at Apartment Therapy Media and former Editor-in-Chief of The Kitchn. She is the author of three cookbooks, including the James Beard Award-winning, The Kitchn Cookbook. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband and two daughters.
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published Jun 1, 2009
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(Image credit: Faith Durand)

A couple weeks ago several of the writers and editors of The Kitchn gathered in New York for a late spring brunch. It is always wonderful to be face-to-face with the fellow writers that we usually only “see” virtually! And of course food had to be included, right?

Here is part of my own contribution: a quick twist on a strawberry salad, with arugula mixed in for a spicy, savory touch, and a creamy dressing of fresh ricotta and lemon. But there’s more: see photos of Nora S.’s impressive rhubarb turnovers, and Nora M.’s limoncello spritzer too!

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

I was in a strange kitchen, on my own in New York City, so I wanted to keep my own brunch contribution easy and quick, but I also wanted to do something a little different. Fresh fruit — strawberries! — were definitely in order, but I wanted to dress it up with a little something different.

I picked up several cartons of fresh strawberries and added a few handfuls of raspberries, and almonds for a soft crunch. I decided to add baby arugula too; its fresh spiciness is a nice complement to the sweet berries. I looked for lemon Stilton to crumble into the salad, but Whole Foods didn’t carry it. So instead I substituted a block of fresh, creamy and crumbly ricotta. I zested in a lemon and added a couple tablespoons of sugar. We served this dressing on the side (forgot to take a photo!) and the brunch guests dolloped spoonfuls on their bowls of berries and greens.

I really liked how it turned out; it was a fresh, slightly different take on the standard bowl of strawberries and cream.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

I also loved everyone else’s contributions to the writers’ brunch. Elizabeth brought asparagus frittata squares; Nora Maynard brought a lightened-up version of the Lemon Myrtle, with limoncello and soda; Nora Singley brought amazing rhubarb turnovers, and I rounded things out with a lemon brioche baked French toast.

Everything was delicious, including the conversation. It’s so fun to gather with other writers and food enthusiasts, especially over good food prepared with our own hands.

Here’s a rough recipe for the salad; I didn’t keep very close tabs on amounts, but it’s an improvisational type of recipe to begin with.

(Image credit: Sara Kate Gillingham)

Strawberry-Arugula Salad with Ricotta Topping
serves 8-10

4 pints strawberries, washed, hulled, and sliced into quarters
1 pint raspberries, washed and blotted dry
1-2 cups sliced almonds
1 small bunch baby arugula, sliced into thin ribbons
Kosher salt
2 lemons, zested and juiced
1 1/2 cups fresh, drained ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons sugar (or more, to taste)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Toss the strawberries, raspberries, almonds, and sliced arugula with a pinch of kosher salt and the zest of 1 lemon.

For the dressing:
In a separate bowl, mix the lemon juice and remaining lemon zest with the ricotta, sugar, and nutmeg. Taste and sweeten to taste, if necessary.

Serve the salad with the dressing on the side.

Related: Seasonal Treat: Strawberry Butter

(Images: Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan and Faith Durand)

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quick
Salad
vegetarian