3 Salads with Cheese to Enjoy Now

When you think Summer salad, it’s only natural to think mozzarella and tomatoes and the classic Salad Caprese, but as contributor Sarah Fritsche pointed out in her story and her recipe for Stone Fruit & Cherry Tomato Panzanella with Fior Di Latte Mozzarella, it’s not the only way to go. Salads that are cool and refreshing have a special appeal in Summer. Instead of taking a supporting role, salads with cheese can be the main act when it’s just too hot to cook or eat a big meal. 

Three chefs shared their recipes for salads they are serving this Summer that include cheese, but not the standard mozzarella. We’ve adapted the recipes slightly to make them more friendly for home cooks. 

Market Salad from Che Fico Alimentari

The first salad comes courtesy of Chef David Nayfeld of Che Fico Alimentari in San Francisco. He uses a cheese that is a member of the mozzarella family, stracciatella. Stracciatella mixed with heavy cream forms the gooey stringy filling in burrata. Chef Nayfeld says,  "I love the consistency of stracciatella and how it works with the plating of this salad. The creaminess of the dairy allows it to both stand on its own or be worked into the sauce. It is reminiscent of the classic pairing of peaches and cream, the melding of cream with Summer flavors”

Summer Market Insalata

Kashiwase Stone fruit, Stracciatella, Pistachio, Avocado and Basil

Serves 4

 1/2 cups stone fruit, sliced such as peaches or plums

1 avocado, cut in half

14 ounces stracciatella

About 20 basil leaves, torn 

1 teaspoon vinegar, preferably plum blossom vinegar

Espelette pepper, to taste

1 1/2 teaspoons salt, preferably fleur de sel

1 1/2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

To Finish:

1/4 cup pistachios, toasted and chopped

Pinch salt, preferably fleur de sel

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Spread stracciatella on the serving plate and season with olive oil, black pepper, and salt. Gently toss stone fruit, avocado, basil, plum blossom vinegar, Espelette pepper, salt, and olive oil in a bowl. Arrange on top of the stracciatella and top with pistachios, salt, black pepper, and olive oil.

Marcella’s Salad from Marcella’s photo credit: Peter Chapman

Peter Chapman, Regional Chef and Operating Partner for Cameron Mitchell Restaurants offers up this recipe from Marcella’s, an Italian restaurant with two locations in Columbus, Ohio. It features ricotta salata, a sheep’s milk cheese made from whey which is pressed, salted and aged for at least 90 days. It is milky white with a firm crumbly texture and salty flavor profile. The combination of snap peas, grape tomatoes, fresh pesto and a tangy buttermilk and mascarpone dressing give this salad a very appealing bright flavor.

Marcella’s Arugula Salad

Serves 4

1 gallon water

3 Tablespoons kosher salt

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

4 ounces fregola sarda (or Israeli couscous)

8 ounces  snap peas

1/4 cup mascarpone cheese

2 Tablespoons  buttermilk

2 Tablespoons basil pesto

2/3 cup quinoa

3/4 cup vegetable stock

1/4 cup canola oil

1 Tablespoon lemon juice, divided

1 Tablespoon golden or white balsamic vinegar, divided

3 oz arugula

24 grape tomato halves

4 ounces ricotta salata

Instructions:

Add kosher salt to water and bring to a rolling boil. Add a basket to the water and cook snap peas until vibrant green. Place snap peas in ice water to cool. Put basket back in water and allow to come to a boil again and cook fregola (or couscous if not available) until tender. Drain fregola and toss with 2T extra virgin olive oil.  Allow to cool at room temperature on a sheet tray and reserve

Place quinoa and vegetable stock in a small pot, season with a pinch of kosher salt, and bring to a boil. Cover quinoa, turn heat off, and let stand for 15 minutes Drain any remaining water and allow to dry. Drain snap peas and cut in to one inch lengths. 

Once quinoa is very dry, heat canola oil (using more if necessary to cover bottom of pan) in a shallow pan on medium high heat until it begins to shimmer.Add quinoa to pan and stir constantly to ensure even cooking and a crisp texture. Drain quinoa on paper towels and season with kosher salt. Toss fregola, snap peas, mascarpone, buttermilk, and pesto until evenly coated. Taste and season with kosher salt as necessary. Toss tomato halves with a teaspoon each of golden balsamic and lemon juice and allow to marinate at room temperature.

Place the fregola mixture in the center of a round plate. Toss the arugula, tomatoes, remaining lemon juice, remaining golden balsamic, and evoo.  Taste and add kosher salt. Place arugula mixture on top of fregola mixture. Garnish with fried quinoa. Shave ricotta salata over the top of the salad to finish.

Butternut Squash, Quinoa, Arugula & Manchego Salad from Pomella

On the menu at Pomella in Oakland is chef Mica Talmor’s hearty salad of Winter squash and quinoa on a bed of arugula finished with shavings of manchego cheese. A firm sheep’s milk cheese from Spain, manchego has a toasty and buttery flavor with peppery notes. Although this salad has many Fall flavors, it utilizes ingredients available year round and makes a great lunch or light dinner during the Summer, especially since all the components can be made ahead of time.

Butternut Squash, Quinoa & Manchego Salad

Serves 4

2 small butternut squashes (or about 2 cups cubed)

2 Tablespoons and 2 teaspoons oil

2 teaspoons Kosher salt (divided in half)

1 cup quinoa

1/4 cups cup raw pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup scallions, finely chopped

10 ounces arugula

8 ounces manchego cheese, shaved

Butternut Squash Spice Mix

2 teaspoons sumac

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoons ground allspice

1/2 teaspoons cumin

Pomegranate Vinaigrette

1/2 cup pomegranate concentrate

1/2 cup water

1 cup canola oil

2 Tablespoons + 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 Tablespoon salt

1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make the spice mix for the butternut squash, combine all four spices and set aside.

Peel and cut butternut squash into 1/2-inch pieces. Toss squash with spice mix, oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Roast until tender, about 10-15 minutes.

Measure and rinse one cup of quinoa. Bring one cup of water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to a boil, add quinoa and simmer on a low flame for approximately 12 minutes. Do not overcook. The quinoa should be crunchy, not mushy (but it should have its little “tail”).

To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the pomegranate concentrate, water, canola oil, mustard, salt and black pepper. Set aside.

Toss the cooled squash,  cooked quinoa, scallions, cranberries and pumpkin seeds in about half of the vinaigrette, increasing to taste as necessary (extra vinaigrette can be refrigerated for later use). It’s best to let the salad sit overnight for the quinoa to absorb the dressing.

When ready to serve, toss the butternut squash and quinoa mix with the arugula, about 1/3 cup of the dressing, and a pinch of salt. Divide salad into four servings. Top with manchego cheese and serve.