Spinach & Strawberry Salad

By moddie2bert

Ingredients

• 8 cups spinach, washed, drained, patted dry, stems removed
• 3 cups strawberries, rinsed, drained and hulled
• 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 cup canola oil or vegetable oil
• ground black pepper and salt to taste

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Place the spinach in a large bowl, cover with moist paper towel and refrigerate to chill and crisp. Thinly slice 2 cups of the strawberries lengthwise and place in a medium-size bowl. Add the sliced red onion to the bowl. Set aside. Roughly chop the remaining 1 cup of strawberries. Pour the balsamic vinegar into a blender, cover with the lid and remove the center cap. With the blender on high speed, drop the chopped strawberries through the top of the blender and blend until completely pureed, about 30 seconds. With the blender still on high, slowly pour the oil through the top into the blender until all the oil is added and the vinaigrette is emulsified (completely blended). Season with salt and pepper. In a large salad bowl, toss the spinach with the strawberries and onions mixture.Toss with 1 cup of the vinaigrette or serve on the side.

Chef’s Note:
- Arugula, baby spinach or mixed baby greens can be used instead of or in addition to the spinach.
- For a deeper, more distinct flavor in the vinaigrette, reduce canola or vegetable oil by ¼ cup and add ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil.
- This dressing also works well as a dipping sauce for chopped veggies.
- Dressing will keep in the refrigerator for 1 week, stored in a Ziploc Brand container.