Spring Mix Strawberry Salad
I love this salad! It is a perfect and light refreshing salad especially nice in the spring and summer when the strawberries are at their ripest.
I love this salad! It is a perfect and light refreshing salad especially nice in the spring and summer when the strawberries are at their ripest.
- Carbohydrate 14.280703125 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 2.9754303125 g
- Fiber 1.71163126158714 g
- Protein 1.32378625 g
- Saturated Fat 0.3826943125 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (93g)
- Sodium 1.5921875 mg
- Sugar 12.5690718634129 g
- Trans Fat 0.1684461625 g
- Calories 86 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large bowl, mix the spring greens with the strawberries.
- In a small bowl, prepare the vinaigrette by combining the vinegar, sugar, paprika, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds. Pour in the vegetable oil slowly, while whisking vigorously to emulsify.
- Toss vinaigrette with salad and serve immediately.
The Mechanics of Fresh Fruit
Fresh strawberries contain approximately ninety-one percent water, a cellular structure that collapses entirely when frozen, thawed, or canned. Utilizing fresh berries yields a crisp, firm bite that holds up against vinegar without releasing excessive pools of juice into the greens. Frozen berries introduce too much moisture, diluting the dressing and turning tender spring greens into a soggy mass within minutes of contact.
Emulsifying Without Heat
Whisking vegetable oil slowly into white wine vinegar creates a temporary suspension aided by the surface tension of sugar and seeds. Pour the oil in a thin, steady stream while maintaining constant motion with a wire whisk to ensure tiny droplets disperse evenly through the acid. Without this mechanical agitation, the oil and vinegar separate immediately due to their differing densities.
Judging Texture and Readiness
Assess the emulsion visually by checking if the dressing appears opaque and coats the back of a spoon rather than running off like clear water. Toss the greens only when ready to eat, as salt and acid begin drawing moisture out of the lettuce leaves within a five-minute window, causing wilting.
