Strawberry Salad

With so many recipes available on line, my cookbooks collect a little more dust these days than they used to. But when strawberries season arrives I head straight for this gem from Heidi Swanson's Near and Far. The combination of sweet, tart, sour and crunchy is a revelation. Only the freshest, most flavorful, ripe strawberries will do. Luckily our box had just that this week. I'm a bit of a strawberry fiend and I already had some organic Driscoll's in the fridge. Driscoll's may be gargantuan and gorgeous, but bigger is not necessarily better. In my own very scientific, side by side taste test, there was just no contest. Local strawberries from our box are hands down strawberrier. Or is it strawbetterier? Either way, if you've still got 'em, use 'em.

Strawberry Salad

Heidi Swanson | Near and Far

INGREDIENTS

1 pint strawberries

1 1/2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp caraway seeds, lightly toasted

3/4 tbsp natural cane sugar or brown sugar

pinch of fine grain sea salt

1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

zest of 1/2 lemon

slivered mint

INSTRUCTIONS

Pick over the berries well, discarding any that are off. Brush away any dirt or debris with a damp cloth. Core and slice into quarters before placing in a serving bowl. Add the olive oil, and stir gently to combine. Use a mortar and pestle to bruise the caraway seeds. Add the sugar and the salt and grind a bit more to work the caraway into the sugar. Sprinkle the caraway mixture over the berries and toss. Just before serving top with almonds, lemon zest and mint.