Husk Cherry and Goat Cheese Salad

It's not often that I come across a fruit or vegetable that I've never tried, or even heard of, before. In fact, I think the last time it happened was when I discovered that morels were mushrooms, which was at least two years ago. But I had eaten mushrooms before. These, on the other hand, were pretty much completely new.

I noticed a bin labeled "husk cherries" at the Union Square Greenmarket yesterday, and of course, I had to try them. The seller recommended using them raw in a salad or dipping them in chocolate. Since I was already buying lettuce and herbed goat cheese, I went the salad route.

They don't taste like cherries, or really like anything I've eaten before. The insides are full of tiny seeds, kind of like a cross between a strawberry and a tomato. To me, they taste a little bit sweet, and very, very wild, like something you would find growing on a vine somewhere, and hope that they didn't poison you. I'm surprised they haven't popped up in innovative New York restaurants yet, but maybe I'm ahead of the curve?

Here's what the finished salad looks like:

Husk Cherry and Goat Cheese Salad

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound field greens, washed
1/2 pound husk cherries (substitute green grapes for a somewhat similar flavor)
4 ounces herbed goat cheese (I used basil and garlic goat cheese, also from the farmer's market)
1 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp basalmic vinegar
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp coarse sea salt (I used pink sea salt)
Pinch of black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
1. Wash lettuce, remove cherries from their husks, and wash. Dry.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together mustard, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper.
3. Mix together lettuce, husk cherries, and dressing. Divide onto four plates.
4. Thinly slice goat cheese, and distribute slices onto plates (3-4 slices per plate). Serve.

Serves 4.

Apple Carrot Salad

I think serving carrots as ribbons is prettier than just chopping them up. It takes quite a while to make them with a vegetable peeler, but if you're using them in salads, there's no other way to go.

You could make this salad with a mayonnaise-based dressing, but I thought a tart dressing would be more appropriate for fall. This would be a good starter for a fall-themed dinner, or just a very healthy afternoon snack!

Apple Carrot Salad

INGREDIENTS:
1 large granny smith apple
2 peeled carrots
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp poppy seeds
1 tablespoon sugar

DIRECTIONS:
1. Using a vegetable peeler, peel carrots into ribbons in a large bowl.
2. Cut the apple into wedges and dice into 1/2"-3/4" pieces, and add to the carrots.
3. In a small dish, mix lemon juice, vinegar, poppy seeds, and sugar.
4. Pour dressing onto salad, toss. Season with salt as desired, and serve.

Serves four to six.

Greek Salad

To me, a greek salad done right is the epitome of healthy eating. And "done right" means no lettuce, no croutons. A greek salad shouldn't be some greek-inspired toppings added to a standard salad, it should be a totally different creation.

Greek Salad

INGREDIENTS:
5 medium or large plum tomatoes
2 cucumbers
1/2 small red onion
16 black olives, pitted and sliced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese*
1/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 tsp Coarse Sea Salt
1/8 tsp Pepper

DIRECTIONS:
1. Peel cucumbers in alternating strips at 1/2 inch intervals, leaving about half the peel intact, like this:
2. Dice tomatoes and cucumbers into 1/2" wedges.
3. Dice onion into 1/4" pieces.
3. In large bowl, combine tomatoes, cucumber, onion and olives. Toss with olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Sprinkle feta cheese over salad, toss again lightly, and serve.


Yum!