red fruit salad with goat cheese + basil
I'm not sure about you guys, but during the summer time, unless I am barbequing, I have a hard time wanting to make dinner. It's just too hot. I have good intentions every day to prep my meals in the morning that way I am not cooking during the hottest time of the day. But really, that does not happen. So instead, we eat a lot big salads and other non-cook type meals. Which works out ok when there is so much amazing fruit and vegetables available right now.
Last night was one of those nights. I had been busy all day and didn't have time to plan ahead of what was for dinner. After I picked up our CSA box and saw all of the lovely fruit inside with a fresh baguette, I knew dinner would be quick, easy and delicious.
Any fruit would mix well in this salad. I simply used what I had on hand. Strawberries, marionberries, and cherries mixed with coriander, brown sugar, lemon zest and juice. The end. Now the possibilities have just began. Eat the salad as is. Mix with greens. Serve over oatmeal. Or, slice up a fresh baguette, smear that baguette with creamy goat cheese, top with fruit and if you must, add some basil and balsamic vinegar. Easy dinner. Easy lunch. Easy appetizer.
red fruit salad adapted from: 101 cookbooks
1 pound of cherries, pitted and sliced in half
1 pound of strawberries, cored and sliced in half
1 cup of marionberries* (or any berry you have available, or could do without)
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 tablespoons brown sugar
zest from one lemon
juice from one lemon
Wash cherries, pit and slice in half, place in large bowl. Wash strawberries, core and slice in half, add to cherries. Wash marionberries and add to mixture. In a separate bowl, mix coriander and brown sugar. Pour mixture over fruit and gently mix. Add zest and lemon juice, toss a few times.
As shown above:
1 French baguette
fresh goat cheese
a few leaves of basil
balsamic vinegar
Slice French baguette and place under broiler only for a quick minute or two (ha, hard to do with kids, I obviously got distracted and broiled mine an extra minute or 4). Smear baguette slices with creamy goat cheese. Serve fruit on top. This is great as is. You can also, sprinkle flaky sea salt over fruit. Add shredded basil and balsamic. Yum and yum.