Arugula & Strawberry Salad

One thing I love most about living in California is how easy it is to get fresh local produce - the farmer's markets are awesome.  To make it even easier to know where our food comes from, we joined a CSA (community supported agriculture) in which we get a box of produce every other week from Eatwell Farm.  We get great veggies & fruit and are forced to learn how to make some things we haven't made before - beet greens, mustard greens, chard, fava beans, etc., or to learn how to like some things we didn't like very much (spinach, butternut squash).  It also keeps our eating more in touch with the seasons.

This week our box had lots of those greens we have learned to enjoy, but more importantly, it had arugula and strawberries - both ingredients that I have loved for a long time.  The peppery flavor of arugula makes it a really nice addition to any salad, but this time I wanted to let it have center stage.  I used a local balsamic vinegar produced by a winery that we enjoy wines from (Vincent Arroyo) - they make a fruity, sweet, thick balsamic that is perfect for this salad.  This is a nice light summer salad that I made to go with grilled Mediterranean chicken breasts (double the marinade in this recipe and use whole boneless skinless chicken breasts as a quick weeknight variation on this kabob recipe) and roasted potatoes with garlic & rosemary. 

Arugula & Strawberry Salad

1 bunch arugula
10-15 strawberries
3 T good aged balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic
5 T olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

1.  Clean and rip arugula into a salad bowl.
2.  Thinly slice strawberries.  Toss into salad bowl.

3.  Make salad dressing: Combine chopped garlic, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper in a bowl or small container with lid.  If using a bowl, drizzle in olive oil while whisking to create an emulsion.  I find it easier to add the oil into a tupperware container (8 oz.), put the lid on, and shake, but it should work both ways.
Note:  You should taste your dressing.  If it is not sweet enough, add sugar or honey or orange juice.
4.  Toss salad with dressing & enjoy.