Strawberry-Rhubarb Salad Recipe

Want to learn how to embrace fresh flavors like a wine country chef? With the new cookbook, Season, from wine country chefs Justin Wangler and Tracey Shepos Cenami, you can do just that. And today, we’re sharing an amazingly flavorful salad recipe from them. Strawberry and rhubarb — not just for pie!

This Strawberry-Rhubarb Salad with Pistachios and Goat Cheese recipe takes inspiration from the structured look of a Cobb salad — it just ditches the bacon, avocado, and bleu cheese. Instead, it gets that look with plated greens and other ingredients arranged in rows on top. The dressing, made with pureed strawberries, is a perfectly sweet contrast to the raw rhubarb.

Get the deets below — and let us know if there’s anything you’d change or add!

Strawberry-Rhubarb Salad With Pistachios & Goat Cheese

Serves 4

Ingredients
For the strawberry vinaigrette:

• 6 strawberries, hulled
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1⁄4 cup rice oil or other neutral-flavored oil
• Kosher salt

For the salad:

• 1⁄2 lb assorted baby lettuces
• 1⁄4 cup assorted fresh herb leaves (such as tarragon, dill, parsley, chervil, and/or fennel)
• 1⁄4 cup assorted edible flowers (such as calendula, verbena, and/or nasturtium)
• 1 rhubarb stalk, trimmed and chopped
• 1⁄4 cup shelled pistachios, toasted
• 6 small radishes, trimmed and shaved on a mandoline
• 3 oz Chevoo or other fresh goat cheese, crumbled
• 1 cup sliced strawberries

Directions
To make the vinaigrette: In a blender, combine the strawberries, vinegar, honey, mustard, and oil. and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt. You should have about 1 cup. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until chilled.

To assemble the salad: In a large, shallow serving bowl, combine the lettuce, herbs, and half of the flowers and toss to mix well. Arrange the rhubarb, pistachios, radishes, cheese, and strawberries in neat rows on top of the greens. Garnish with the remaining flowers.

Present the salad and toss with the vinaigrette tableside.

What are your favorite summer salad ingredients? I love a bright, sweet berry any time of year, but especially when it’s so hot out. –Kristen