Green Salad with Nectarines, Chevre, & Warm Spices

Nectarines mean summer to me, so this salad is a must do for the season. I love the juicy goodness, sweetness, and sultry taste of this fruit in salad. Nectarines are by far my favorite fruit and tossing them into a fresh salad is one of my favorite ways to eat then (besides standing over the lawn and letting the juice dribble down my face as I bite into the perfectly ripe specimen).

This salad is all about complementing the nectarine (or peach). Tender greens, sliced nectarines, and a vinaigrette infused with warm spices make this salad unique and perfect for summer meals. I use allspice and a pinch of clove powder in the dressing, but cumin, coriander, or nutmeg suffice in any combination work.

Get started by procuring these ingredients from the store and/or your garden.

• 4 tablespoons olive oil

• 3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 2 tablespoons diced shallot

• 2 tablespoon maple syrup

• 1/4 teaspoon allspice (or 1/4 teaspoon cumin and 1/4 teaspoon coriander)

• slight pinch of ground clove

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

• 15 ounces (6 cups) fresh mixed lettuce: washed, spun dry, and torn into big pieces (don’t tear them too small)

• 3 ripe but firm nectarines thinly sliced from the pit (1/4 inch slices)

• 1/3 cup dill fronds

• 3-4 ounces crumbled chevre goat cheese

Prepare the dressing by combining the first 8 ingredients in a jar with a tight lid. Once combined, shake vigorously until well combined at least 30 minutes to 1 hour prior to serving the salad. The time allows the shallots to macerate and the spices to infuse into the vinaigrette.

Don’t slice the nectarines more than 20 minutes prior to dressing and serving the salad.

Prepare the greens. Add the greens to a salad bowl. Arrange the nectarines on top of the greens. Sprinkle with dill threads and crumbled chevre on top of greens. Toss salad with 1/2 the vinaigrette. Waite 2-3 minutes and taste the salad. Add additional dressing to taste, noting that the dressing will soak in over time, so don’t over dress.

Enjoy!