Strawberry Fields Salad with Lemon-Poppy Seed Dressing

I thought I better throw a salad in here, it's been a while.

I love summer produce! I try to soak it up all I can while the getting is good. 'Cause you know, come those winter months and the gettin' gets pretty slim.

This is a fabulous salad. A little different, but not too unusual. The seasonal fruit is delicious, the fresh basil, to die for and the dressing is an absolute keeper! I believe salad dressing totally can totally make or break a salad. I make tons of homemade dressings, which I love, but I have never thought to substitute lemon juice for the vinegar. Totally genius, especially since I love all things lemon.

Strawberry Fields Salad
4 large nectarines, cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges
1 head of romaine lettuce, shredded
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 (4-oz.) package crumbled feta cheese

Lemon-Poppy Seed Dressing (recipe below)


Toss nectarines with 1/4 cup Lemon-Poppy Seed Dressing.

Put shredded lettuce in a large salad bowl. Layer nectarines, strawberries, tomatoes and basil on top of the lettuce.

Add feta and pecans and dressing just before serving; lightly toss.


Lemon-Poppy Seed Dressing
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
2 tsp. finely chopped onion
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. salt

Process vegetable oil, sugar, fresh lemon juice, poppy seeds, finely chopped onion, Dijon mustard, and salt in a blender until smooth. Store in refrigerator up to 1 week; serve at room temperature.


SOURCE: Slightly adapted from Southern Living