Strawberry Salad

Hands up anyone who goes bonkers at sight of strawberries!  I am one of them. Strawberries are so pretty aren't they? But my experience with strawberries have not been pretty until I met Korean strawberries.

There was  time whenever I see strawberries, I would buy a box only to be disappointed. They were either tasteless or incredibly sour.

And then one day I was gifted with a box of Korean strawberries. Wow. What a difference. They were sweet and tasted like what I expected strawberries to taste like. From then on, whenever Korean strawberries are available, I would not hesitate to spend my hard earned money on them.

Last week, I spotted some Korean strawberries at Jaya Grocer. But the fruits were quite pale. Then I went to have a peek at a fruit shop located outside Jaya Grocer. Ah! These were very red and cost RM1.00 less.

I bought two boxes and when I got home I tasted one and yes, it was juicy and sweet. These are great eaten just like that but I remember enjoying a Strawberry Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette which I made some two years ago.

Since I had half a bottle of Balsamic vinegar in the kitchen, I decided to make the salad again. Again, I used siew yoke (roasted oinks) as my protein and those convenient ready-washed salad leaves for the greens.

I made extra Balsamic vinaigrette so that I could enjoy more salad during the week. The thing about Balsamic vinegar is that it is quite strong, so a little goes a long way. It is also sweet, and you could add some honey if you like your dressing on the sweeter side.

Strawberry Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Recipe source : Adapted from A Beautiful Mess

For the vinaigrette :

- 3/4 cup olive oil

- 1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar

- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced (I used a garlic press)

- 1 tsp sea salt

- 1 tsp freshly cracked pepper

- 1 tsp Dijon mustard

- 1 tsp honey

For the salad :

- Salad greens

- Strawberries, each sliced into two

- Red onion, thinly sliced

- Cucumbers, thinly sliced

- any protein of your choice, I used roasted pork

Method :

1. To make the vinaigrette, put all the ingredients into a blender and blitz until emulsified. Pour into a container and use immediately or store in the fridge for later.

2. To make the salad, assemble all the salad ingredients into a mixing bowl and toss with enough dressing to coat all the ingredients.