The end of July often brings some of our hottest weather of the year and turning on the oven or even the stove feels like a betrayal. So between now and the end of the month, I'll be sharing some excellent salad recipes. Lest you worry you'll be looking at iceberg lettuce and soggy tomatoes, let me reassure you by saying every recipe is brimming with flavor, texture, color, and a selection of stunning seasonal produce that will delight and fuel you for your adventures as summer hits its peak. We continue this quest with a creative salad that blends savory and sweet and can play the role of main course or side salad with just a few tweaks.
The greens used in this salad are very much up to you. I'd recommend going beyond iceberg or romaine lettuce and mixing things up a bit. I opted for a combination of butter lettuce and hon tsai tsai because they showed up in our CSA box, but this is definitely the time of the year when a wide variety of absolutely fabulous fresh greens are available and now is the time to take advantage of that. If you aren't a fan of green onions, you can skip them, but I like the pop of flavor they bring to this salad. Any fresh berries can star in this salad, but I love the color palette offered by the combination of blackberries and blueberries and I think they pair very well with sliced almonds. Pick an avocado that's tender and ripe, but not brown, and assemble the salad right before you are ready to serve it to keep the avocado green and beautiful at the table too.
This salad is quick and easy to assemble and even more wonderful to enjoy. I have had it as is, or topped with some shredded chicken as a main course for either lunch or dinner on a hot day. Pour a glass of lemonade or iced tea and find some shade to enjoy it under!
Blackberry Avocado Salad
- 6 c. mixed torn greens - I used a combination of butter lettuce and chopped hon tsai tsai, including its delicious stems and flowers
- ¼ c. chopped green onions - I used Egyptian walking onions
- 1 c. fresh blackberries
- 1 c. fresh blueberries
- ¼ c. thinly sliced almonds
- 1 ripe avocado - peeled, seeded, and sliced into wedges
In a wide, shallow serving bowl, arrange the greens and onions as a base. Add the fruit, nuts, and avocado.
This salad does not require a dressing, but a light vinaigrette, honey mustard dressing, or lightly creamy poppyseed dressing would all work nicely with it. If you opt to dress this salad, do so immediately before serving or, better yet, offer dressing on the side at the table.
- Yields: 4-8 servings, depending on whether you serve this as a main course or side dish
- Preparation Time: 15 minutes