A delightfully crisp salad is the ultimate summertime meal. The possibilities are endless and with fresh fruits and vegetables within easy reach the result is a delicious one-dish meal.
This is especially true right now, as lockdowns have reinvigorated backyard gardening. U.S. seed company W. Atlee Burpee & Co sold more seed than any time in its 144-year history in March as the pandemic began to take hold across the US, Chairman George Ball said.
Fromagefromeurope.com surveyed chefs and food professionals for their take on summer salads. Angelo Sosa, Culinary Director of Small Barn Temecula and participant on Top Chef Seasons 7 and 8 says, “I love the saltiness of Brie. I think it's beautiful with fresh greens from the garden."
Tania Teschke author of The Bordeaux Kitchen: An Immersion into French Food and Wine, Inspired by Ancestral Tradition adds, “I love adding sliced beets, bits of Fourme d’Ambert and walnuts with a vinaigrette to a summer salad -- it's a combination of tangy, crunchy, flavorful deliciousness!”
Charles Duque, Managing Director of the French Dairy Board, adds “We’ve all embraced the sheet pan meal this winter and now it’s time to enjoy the freshest crop of summer vegetables before autumn arrives. “Versatile salads that combine grilled protein like the kale salad with Brie and grilled chicken combine our love for grilling and healthy eating. The combination of textures also guarantees a meal that will not be boring.”
Comté works well with warm grilled mushrooms, according to Elizabeth Karmel, author of Steak and Cake. "Comté is always at its best when it is room temperature to slightly warm. That is when it is creamy and nutty and the small crunchy crystals in the cheese are pronounced. It’s earthiness pairs perfectly with the smoky grilled mushrooms and bitter arugula and the walnuts complement the nuttiness of the cheese,” she adds.
The final step for any salad is the finishing touch. Chef Jamie Gwen, award winning chef and cookbook author thinks the dressing is just as important as the salad itself. She tells us, “all salads should be seasoned with salt and pepper; you’ll be amazed how it heightens the flavor of your greens.”
For more delicious recipe inspiration visit fromagefromeurope.com.
About the FROMAGE FROM EUROPE
The FROMAGE FROM EUROPE Marketing Campaign, orchestrated by Cniel (The French Dairy Inter-Branch Organization) and funded in part by the European Union, was designed to create awareness for the variety of European cheeses available in the US market and to suggest ways that American consumers can incorporate those cheeses into their diets, recipes and lifestyles. The campaign’s goal is to increase the appeal of European cheeses and strengthen their competitive position in the growing specialty cheese category.
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THE CONTENT OF THIS ADVERTISEMENT REPRESENTS THE AUTHOR’S POINT OF VIEW ONLY AND IS THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE AUTHOR. THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY USE THAT MAY BE MADE OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED THEREIN.