Herbed Romaine Salad with Strawberries

Strawberries go well with tender herbs like mint and tarragon. Tossed with toasted pistachios, creamy feta, romaine lettuce, and a very light honey-lemon dressing, the berries add bright notes to a refreshing salad. Prep and Cook Time: 30 minutes. Notes: To keep all the flavors in balance, use a mild, creamy feta, such as the one made by Belfiore Cheese Company, from Berkeley. It's sold in gourmet and Whole Foods markets. You can also substitute slices of ricotta salata (also called "hard ricotta") or fresh mild goat cheese for the feta.

Yield: Makes 6 servings as a first course; 4 servings as a lunch course

Ingredients

• 1/2  cup  raw (unsalted) pistachios
• 10  to 12 oz. romaine lettuce hearts, cored and roughly chopped
• 1/3  cup  fresh tarragon, torn into small pieces
• 1/3  cup  fresh mint leaves, torn into small pieces
• 12  ounces  strawberries, hulled and quartered lengthwise
• 1/4  cup  fresh lemon juice
• 2  teaspoons  minced shallot (about 1 medium)
• 2  teaspoons  honey
• 1/8  teaspoon  salt
• 3  tablespoons  mild olive oil
• 6  ounces  good-quality mild feta cheese (see Notes), cut into triangles

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spread pistachios on a large baking sheet and bake until very lightly toasted (they should still retain some green), 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.

2. In a large bowl, toss together lettuce, tarragon, mint, and half of the strawberries. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, shallot, honey, and salt. Drizzle in olive oil, whisking constantly, until mixture is emulsified. Drizzle dressing over lettuce mixture and toss well.

3. Divide lettuce mixture among plates, then top with remaining strawberries, toasted pistachios, and feta triangles.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per first-course serving.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

235 (69% from fat)

Protein:

7.7g

Fat:

18g (sat 5.8)

Carbohydrate:

12g

Fiber:

3.6g

Sodium:

372mg

Cholesterol:

25mg