Cote D'azur Fruit and Greens Salad With Honey Lemon Dressing

BecR's Note:

Crystal blue water, bright sunshine, and warm air redolent with lemon blossoms; this is the French Riviera! Bring just a little of that ambiance to any dinner with this gorgeous salad. The dressing is particularly wonderful on peaches, nectarines, berries and mixed greens, but you can use any salad combination you choose. Recipe adapted from an online source.

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

The Dressing

• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 3 tablespoons honey, plus 2 teaspoons honey (see Homemade Lavender Honey)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (preferably from Meyer lemons)
• 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh lemon verbena (optional)
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Salad

• mixed baby lettuce greens (4 generous handfuls)
• 1 fresh peach
• 1 fresh nectarine
• 1/2 cup fresh raspberry (or fresh berries of your choice)
• finely sliced fresh lemon verbena or lemon balm or mint leaf, for garnish

Directions:

1. To Make Dressing:.
2. Process all ingredients in a blender until the dressing is smooth. Chill for 20 minutes before serving.
3. Just Before Serving:.
4. Place a handful of greens on each salad plate. Slice the peach and the nectarine, arrange slices on each salad. Sprinkle with the raspberries and the chopped lemon verbena.
5. Drizzle each salad with honey lemon dressing, and garnish with fresh lemon verbena, lemon balm or mint leaves.

Reviews

[SarasotaCook]

Yummy, wine, honey (yes it was lavender honey from the farmers market, cost me a bit, but worth it and I will use it again many times, so I was not against the cost. 4.99) not bad, well worth the extra. Lemon (yes it was meyer) Lemon Basil, sorry, no lemon verbena. Salad I used mint, nectarine and fresh raspberries. What a fabulous salad. It cost a bit more. But this was just a great salad. Now in FL, I have access to meyer lemons, lavender honey, etc but, people should take a look at how good and fresh this salad is. What a salad to serve for a simple dinner or entertaining. Amazing fresh flavor and easy. Next time I will look for lemon verbena which I know is available, just didn't have time. I highly recommend this for a great light easy salad with tons of flavor which is amazing to serve anytime. And guests ... would be totally impressed! Thx over an over!

[Baby Kato]

This lovely fruit and greens salad with homemade dressing is indeed a masterpeice. I am still in the flavor zone. What a great tasting salad. We enjoyed it for lunch today, only wished that I had made more of it. Although, I do have some of the dressing left over for a treat for my dh & self another day, (can't wait). Used a Late Autumn Riesling, wildflower honey, Meyer lemons and vanilla sugar in the dressing and an Organic Baby Greens Spring Mix. The young beet roots were incredible when mixed with the fresh fruit and dressing. The verbena and lemon balm were omitted as I couldn't find any. Kudos BecR on a recipe that I will make again and again. This will be going into my Favorites of 2011. Thank you!

[Cookgirl]

I wish I could give this salad a thousand stars. Made as written except had to sub strawberries for raspberries and replaced half the standard peaches with white ones. Uses a local pinot gris and crushed homegrown lavender in a pestle and mortar, adding it to the dressing. Beautiful, delicious and the perfect showcase for fresh seasonal summer ingredients. Lemon verbena from our herb garden, too. A masterpiece! Thank you!