Aida Mollenkamp shares her recipe for a Cherry, Almond, and Herb Salad that is basically Summer in a bowl.
Aida uses a lesser-known green: mâche, also known as lamb’s lettuce or corn salad, as the base for her salad. Garnished with toasted almonds, cherries, fresh herbs, and a light vinaigrette, this salad is the perfect complement for all your summer cookouts!
People always associate summer cooking with grilling, and rightly so, but despite my dearest wishes, one cannot live on cooked meats alone. That means every now and again you have to put the drumstick down and maybe eat a leafy green. And if you’re going to eat a leafy green, you might as well have something delicious like this salad.
Yet again, my old nemesis cilantro rears its head in a recipe, so yet again I urge you to exercise some common sense and don’t let it anywhere near your salad. I’d recommend a mix of half parsley and half basil to capture the fresh flavor without overpowering any other ingredient in the salad.
As Aida points out, this is a fantastic dish to prepare ahead of time and leave in the fridge for as long as you need to. Simply top with the roasted almonds and dried cherries, pour on the dressing, and you’re good to go in no time!
