Strawberry Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

It’s getting cooler – don’t you love that? But it’s not so cool that a few more summer fruit salads are already off the menu.

Some gorgeous strawberries were just calling out to be chosen. However, this blog isn’t about the strawberries or even the salad – it’s all about the dressing- the very best one I think I may have ever tasted, and it was literally a weird last-minute invention.

Last spring, we made strawberry jam and still have several jars tucked away. It made sense to open one and see what could come of strawberry jam and a strawberry salad. After adding about ½ a cup of jam to the blender along with some white balsamic vinegar and some olive oil to help the emulsifying process, a taste test proved that this was going to be something special. Poppy seeds were the ingredient that took this dressing over the top and it made it truly divine. Here’s the rest of the story and it is worth telling. My husband had just finished reheating the feast we enjoyed to celebrate the Titans first game. That meant his favorite fare, cheeseburgers, fries, homemade mac n cheese.

Then he spied my pretty little salad with those beautiful berries, a crumble of cheese and THE dressing now forever known as Strawberry Poppy Seed Vinaigrette. He asked for a salad. That has probably never happened before and that is of course amazing, but when a half of a cheeseburger was leftover and the salad was gone and he asked for more – that is more salad, well, you know the feeling – time just stood still.

That is perhaps the best testimonial any salad, at least around here will ever get. If that doesn’t make you want to whip this up immediately – well then that’s too bad. But I think you will and I know you will just love it!  This will be an all year dressing at our house – possibly even for a beautiful Christmas salad, but wait, it’s not that cool yet. Enjoy!

Strawberry Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

Ingredients

½ cup strawberry jam

6 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar

1 Tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

¼ cup olive oil

2 tsp poppy seeds

Directions

Combine jam, vinegar, salt and pepper in a blender.

With the blender on low speed gradually add the oil.

Stir in the poppy seeds.

The salad ingredients are up to personal preference. This one had romaine lettuce (spinach would work as well), sliced strawberries, sweet onion, crumbled cotija cheese, and toasted almonds. Grilled chicken made a nice topping to make it an entrée, but without the chicken it is still absolutely delicious!