Chocolate. I like to say my daughter was made of chocolate and spinach while in utero. That is about all I ate. If I’d known about this recipe then, it would have made my day.
Today, I made this salad using a strawberry jam imported from France and a dark Valrhona cocoa, one of my favorites. Really, who puts chocolate with salad greens?… Well, my mother-in-law does! This is a super salad filled to the brim with antioxidants. It has the most delicious strawberry cocoa dressing. I also found it makes a great appetizer dipping sauce for those left over strawberries as well as being drizzled over roasted chicken.
This is just a snippet of a new book all about strawberries. It will soon be released by Learn Great Foods. Make sure to check it out. We will let you know when it has been published.
When you feel like a little chocolate, break out the greens!
Chocolate Strawberry Salad
Serves 4-6
Dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium shallot, minced, about 2 tablespoons
6 tablespoons strawberry jam
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
Heat the oil and shallots until the shallots are softened, but not brown.
Whisk in the jam, vinegar, salt, pepper and cocoa powder.
Set aside to cool.
Salad
8 cups mixed spring greens
1 cup toasted pecan halves
3 tablespoons bittersweet chocolate shards
3 tablespoons shaved hard cheese, such as Parmesan or Romano
4 strawberries for garnish
Wash and dry the greens.
Place the pecans in a small skillet and toast over moderate heat, stirring often until fragrant and starting to brown on the edges. Toss the greens with half the dressing and place in a serving bowl.
Scatter the pecans, chocolate and cheese on top. Drizzle with the rest of the dressing and garnish with whole strawberries.
