Summer Salad Recipes with Rhubarb Vinaigrette Dressing

Did you know rhubarb has a savory side? Balance out earthy greens with sweet summer fruit and a perfectly tart rhubarb vinaigrette. This dressing makes enough to serve 8 to 10 people. Feel free to keep it in your fridge for lunch salads for up to a week.

Ingredients

Rhubarb Vinaigrette Dressing
2 cups chopped rhubarb
½ cup water
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp wine vinegar (red or white)
½ cup olive oil
3 Tbsp maple syrup
1 small shallot, quartered
1 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp poppyseeds
Roasted Rhubarb
2 cups chopped rhubarb
½ cup sugar
Salad
Rhubarb Vinaigrette Dressing
Roasted Rhubarb
1 bunch kale
1 pint strawberries, quartered
1 orange, sliced
½ cup mint
Toasted hazelnuts (or almonds)
Pepper (to taste)

Preparation

Rhubarb Vinaigrette Dressing
1. Boil rhubarb in water until it breaks down—approximately 5 minutes.
2. Once cooled, blend boiled rhubarb, Dijon mustard, vinegar, oil, maple syrup, pepper, and shallot until well combined and smooth.
3. Stir in poppy seeds.
4. Store in a glass container in fridge up to 7 days.
Roasted Rhubarb
1. Preheat oven to 450ºF.
2. Toss rhubarb with sugar in a bowl until well coated; let stand, stirring once or twice, for about 10 minutes.
3. Spread in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until still firm, but just beginning to soften (about 5 minutes).
4. Let cool for about 10 minutes and set aside to top salad with.
Summer Rhubarb Salad
1. Wash and tear kale, and roughly chop or tear mint and combine with strawberries and orange slices in a large salad bowl.
2. Add dressing.
3. Once well-dressed, top with toasted hazelnuts and roasted rhubarb and grind some fresh pepper on top.
4. Optional: To create rhubarb spiral garnishes, blanch some extra rhubarb and slice lengthwise down the stalk. Roll the rhubarb by hand to make spirals, and hold together with a toothpick.
5. VOILA!