A stunning spring salad with seared dates!
Spring is in full bloom, and it’s the perfect season to make exciting, delicious salads.
I love salads that give a bite full of variety
Crunchy,
Creamy,
Sweet,
Sour,
Bitter,
and salty.
The combination of it all creates an unforgettable bite.
My spring salad plate is one you can make each time with a different star ingredient,
enjoying one recipe with endless variation.
It’s a well-seasoned, indulgent salad,
and when you take a bite, you’ll want a big spoonful,
from the very bottom of the plate to the very top.
This salad is intriguing and irresistible,
and the seared dates are its biggest surprise.
There are quite a few dishes people say “you won’t believe how amazing they are until you try,”
and seared dates are exactly that.
Until you try them, you won’t understand just how amazing they are.
A short and super fun prep time,
will give you a festive, spring-inspired salad plate just like at a restaurant.
Wishing us all sunny spring days 🙂
Date Salad | Photo: Essy Roz
Date Salad
Ingredients
Ingredients for a family-size salad (serves four):
- 1 large fennel (for alternatives, see “A Little Extra From Me”)
- 1 firm nectarine (for alternatives, see “A Little Extra From Me”)
- 4–5 sprigs of mint
- 6 dates
- 1 shallot (for alternatives, see “A Little Extra From Me”)
For the creamy base:
- 1 container of old-fashioned sour cream / thick yogurt / vegan cheese
- 1 garlic clove or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried or fresh oregano (optional)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- A bit of lemon zest and juice
For the dressing:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon wine vinegar / apple cider vinegar
- Zest from half a lemon
- Juice from half a lemon
- A handful of finely chopped mint leaves
- 1 level teaspoon of salt
Preparation
Let’s start by searing the dates:
Pit the dates and cut them into halves.
In a pan, heat a bit of olive oil or butter and place the date halves cut side down.
Sear the dates lightly and transfer them to a plate until serving time.
Try placing the dates with the seared side facing up so they develop a nice, crisp surface.
Let’s move on to the salad:
Cut the fennel and nectarine into equal sizes and thicknesses.
I love cutting them the same way so they come together perfectly in every bite.
Set them aside and chop some of the mint leaves (only part of them) for the dressing.
Finely slice the shallot into tiny half-moons and place it at the bottom of the salad bowl.
Mix all the dressing ingredients with the shallot at the bottom of the bowl into a flavorful, unified dressing.
Mixing the shallot with the dressing gives it a light pickling effect and a gentle sweetness.
Right before serving, add the fennel and nectarine on top of the dressing,
then add fresh mint leaves (without stems), and mix with your hands.
In a separate bowl, place the sour cream along with the garlic, oregano, salt, lemon zest, and juice, and stir well. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
Let’s assemble our winning salad plate:
Spread the seasoned cream at the bottom of the plate, On top of that, pile the dressed salad, Over the salad, sprinkle toasted almonds (or any nut you like) and a bit more fresh mint leaves. Finally, arrange the seared date halves on top and joyfully serve to the table. The dates are chewy, juicy, and wonderful adding the perfect bite that no one can resist.
A little extra from me:
- You can swap the fennel for romaine lettuce / cauliflower / fresh broccoli.
- You can replace the nectarine with any summer fruit you love (I recommend choosing a fruit that’s firm and slightly underripe, not soft).
- You can replace the shallot with green onion or red onion.
Date Salad – Preparation Steps | Photo: Essy Roz
Date Salad – Preparation Steps | Photo: Essy Roz
Date Salad | Photo: Essy Roz
No Comments