How to make a Farmer’s Market Summer Salad
Another antioxidant, nutrient rich salad packed with the freshest veggies from your local market plus my favorite pantry staples.
It is summer and you know what that means…
Farmer’s Markets are open everywhere and they are bursting with the freshest, healthiest fruits and vegetables out there. Ditch those plastic clamshells from the grocery store and hit the Farmer’s Market this week and whip up this incredibly healthy salad.
I’ve added a few of my favorite pantry staples like canned beans, gherkins, tuna and nuts as well.
Let’s get chopping.
I recently attended a knife skills class at our local cooking school, Trovare. Chef John chatted about his favorite produce that is now available at the incredible Whitefish Farmer’s Market and he also highlighted a few local markets he loves for their high quality goods. We chopped local garlic, onions and carrots and that just made me think- it’s time for a new salad.
I was inspired by threes sources for the ingredients in this week’s salad:
Nigella Lawson this week posted a bean and tuna dish. If you have followed me for any length of time, you know I adore Italian canned tuna (see my notes on source) packed in olive oil. It is my go to quick lunch. Just pop open a tin, plop on top of greens, chopped veggies and enjoy. A canned of Cannellini beans adds even more fiber and protein. Thanks Nigella!
My next inspiration was from America’s Test Kitchen’s Pan Bagnat- an elevated tuna salad. Served on croissant, this is my favorite tuna sandwich that I often had at Croissant Gourmet (voted best bakery for several years by Orlando Magazine) in Winter Park, Florida. Olive tapenade, thinly sliced hard boiled egg and tuna is layered on a perfectly baked croissant. Very French- very yummy. I opted not to add egg to this salad because I wanted this to be a true- no cooking salad. But a hard boiled egg would be fantastic.
Finally, I added thin green apple slices because they are my sister’s favorite. She always inspires me to be the healthiest version of myself. The tartness and crunch are perfect with the other ingredients.
I love fresh the combination of dill and lemon and sprinkled with a bit of French Sea Salt, this makes a fantastic salad topping. I crumble this mixture all over the salad.
I do not toss this salad, but rather let my guests choose what they want on their plate. Perhaps a bit of sweet chopped gherkin, cranberry and celery or maybe tomato, cucumber and apple. However you plate this salad , it will soon be a summer staple on your lunch table.
The dressing is whipped up in 3 minutes- apple cider vinegar ( my own label coming to this website this fall), honey, olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic. Simple and so good. Whirl it up in a blender to emulsify the oil and pour over this yummy summer bowl of happiness.
Enjoy!
How to make a Farmer’s Market Summer Salad
Course: Healthy, Recent Posts6
servings30
minutes0
minutes327
kcalA platter filled with the freshest ingredients from your local farms market, plus a handful of pantry staples.
Ingredients
7-8 cups 7-8 salad greens- the freshest you can find
2 5.02 oz cans 2 Italian tuna packed in olive oil
1/4 cup 1/4 shelled, roasted pistachios
1/4 cup 1/4 dried cranberries
1/2 cup 1/2 chopped celery
1/2 cup 1/2 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1/4 cup 1/4 red onion, diced
1/4 cup 1/4 mini sweet gherkins, chopped
1/2 cup 1/2 cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup 1/2 green apple, thinly sliced
1 large 1 lemon, zested
2 TBSP 2 fresh dill, chopped fine
1/2 tsp 1/2 sea salt
- For the Dressing
1/2 cup 1/2 extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup 1/4 apple cider vinegar
3 TBSP 3 honey, preferably raw
1 TBSP 1 Dijon mustard
1 clove 1 garlic
1/2 tsp 1/2 sea salt
1/4 tsp 1/4 pepper
1/2 tsp 1/2 smoked paprika or Rosey Harissa
Directions
- Drizzle the apple slices with lemon juice to prevent browning. Combine the dill, lemon zest and 1/2 tsp of sea salt in a small bowl, set aside. On a large platter or in a large bowl layer the greens, nuts, cranberries, apple slices, celery, tomatoes, beans, onions, gherkins and cucumbers. Top with tuna and the oil from the can.
- Sprinkle the salad with the dill mixture.
- In a high power blender combine apple cider vinegar, honey, mustard, salt, pepper, garlic and smoked paprika or rosey harissa. Slowly add in olive oil to emulsify. Test for flavor add adjust as preferred. Serve the salad and drizzle vinaigrette over each serving. Baked or grilled Naan bread is a wonderful side to serve with this salad.
Recipe Video
Notes
- I buy Cento or Genova canned Italian tuna- it is packed in high quality olive oil. Do not drain the oil. It is available at most major Supermarkets.
- Brush Naan bread with olive oil, a bit of salt and grill for 5 minutes just to heat up.
- Feel free to add olives, marcona almonds, chives, or peppers to this recipe.
Other great Pine & Palm Kitchen Salads to try:
- Salad Niçoise
- Gen X Ramen Noodle Salad
- Avocado Egg Salad
- Lemon Couscous Salad with raisins, chickpeas and avocado
- Roasted Shrimp, Feta & Orzo Salad
Enjoy with Naan bread, grilled or warmed with olive oil and salt.
