Caryl’s Recipe Collection – Strawberry, Bacon & Blue Cheese Salad

My Story…

Summer Holidays are a time to spend with family and friends and to make the necessary chore of preparing food as easy as possible. My choice is a nice colourful salad as a lovely meal on its own, served at a braai or perhaps roast chicken. The combination of strawberries and blue cheese is an absolute winner. The bacon can be substituted for any meat of your choice but the salad will blend well with smoked chicken.

I grew up in Tamboerskloof on the slopes of Signal Hill and we were fortunate enough to have a variety of fruit trees in our garden. No strawberries, unfortunately, but peaches, plums, apricots, guavas, persimmon, oranges & lemons. It was fashionable in those days to ‘stew’ the fruits as well as eating raw, so we had stewed fruit and custard most days for dessert – Yes, dessert was normal back then too, not like today when everyone is on some ‘diet or other!

“We cooked from memories. We watched our mothers and their mothers, just as all the omen in a family had watched and listened before them. Rather than learn how to cook, we inherit the way we cook & bake, like the colour of a father’s eyes, and the jut of a mother’s chin. Like the past itself, which nourishes us at least as much as the food and the rest is instinct…”

– Marlena De Blasi

My Recipe – Strawberry, Bacon & Blue Cheese Salad

• 1 packet herb salad
• 250g bacon, chopped & fried till crispy
• 100g walnuts roughly chopped
• 100g blue cheese cut up or more if you wish
• 400g punnet strawberries, washed & sliced

Method

In a large salad bowl arrange the salad leaves. Scatter over bacon,*nuts, strawberries & cheese.

Pour over the dressing & serve with crispy ciabatta bread & butter.

Dressing

• 1/2 cup apple juice
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard

Whisk all of the above together and drizzle over the salad before serving. A good idea to make double dressing as it keeps in the fridge for another salad.

Rowan’s Suggestion: This is best enjoyed with Esona Sauvignon Blanc on a warm day for lunch.