This might be my favorite salad to eat in the summer when strawberries are brimming with flavor and sweetness. Roasting them coaxes out their flavors even more and adds a lovely burst of juiciness to the salad. The creamy avocado and burrata compliment the roasted strawberries so well.
Serves 8
Ingredients:
1 lb strawberries, stem removed and halved (quartered if they are very large)
1 tb sugar
Lemon Dressing (recipe follows)
4 balls burrata
2 ripe avocados
10 oz baby arugula
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon Nigella seeds or black sesame seeds to garnish
Handful of Micro Greens to garnish
Lemon Dressing:
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, grated
2 teaspoons kosher salt or 1 teaspoon table salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme, optional
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the strawberries with the sugar and spread evenly onto the prepared pan. Roast for 15-20 minutes until the strawberries begin to caramelize. Let cool to room temp while you proceed with the recipe.
In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper.
Drizzle in the olive oil while whisking and continue to whisk until the dressing is emulsified. Alternatively, combine everything in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake to combine.
If your dressing is too tangy, add more olive oil, to taste.
Add the thyme, if desired, and season to taste. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week. The olive oil will solidify a bit in the fridge. To soften, let the dressing sit at room temp for a few minutes and stir before using.
Place arugula in a bowl and sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Toss with ¼ cup lemon dressing. Add more to taste if desired.
Place dressed baby arugula in a shallow bowl or rimmed platter.
Drain the burrata if it is in water. Cut the avocados in half, remove pit and slice into thin wedges.
Place burrata on the arugula. Sprinkle avocado and strawberries around burrata. Sprinkle everything with a bit more salt and drizzle with a couple more tablespoons lemon dressing. Sprinkle with nigella or black sesame seeds. Garnish with microgreens if using.