Whipped Ricotta Salad with Strawberries Parmesan Crisps, & Lemon Delight Garnish
Ingredients
16 oz high quality ricotta
Splash of heavy cream
1 T lemon juice
2 t lemon zest
Chopped arugula and/or micro greens (I like to snip off the longer stems of arugula)
2 T rosé balsamic vinegar (should be a little sweet)
4 T high quality extra virgin olive oil
2 t minced shallot
Salt and pepper
2 cups of season-ripe chopped fresh strawberries
4 cups grated parmesan
1 cup sugar
11/4 teaspoon agar
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Makes 4 -6 delicious salads
Directions
Parmesan Crisps:
Preheat oven to 350º
Pile mounds of 1 T each of grated parmesan on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (Foil doesn’t work, I learned the hard way.)
Bake until melted and bubbly, about 5 - 10 minutes. Watch carefully! They go quickly. Let cool and remove from parchment.
​
Salad:
Whip the ricotta, splash of heavy cream, lemon juice, and zest until ricotta is smooth and fluffy.
Chop arugula.
Whisk together vinegar, olive oil, shallot, salt and pepper and toss with greens.
If strawberries aren’t at their sweetest as they are in Maryland in June and early July, you can macerate them. Just combine 2 T lemon juice and 1 T sugar and coat strawberries. Let sit for 10 minutes.
​
Lemon Delight:
Make a simple syrup by heating 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water over medium heat. Whisk until sugar dissolves. Add 1 1/4 teaspoon agar and bring to a boil over high heat. Whisk until agar is dissolved. Stir in 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice and remove from heat. Cool and then chill in the refrigerator until it sets, about 20 - 30 minutes. Spoon into a reusable condiment squeeze bottle and keep refrigerated when not using.
Plating:
Spread a healthy portion of the ricotta onto a salad plate. Top with greens then strawberries. Add parmesan crisps. Squeeze four drops of lemon delight around the edges of the plate.
This salad is really good with or without the lemon delight but adding it to any dish — salads, seafood, veggies — can elevate a dish to a whole new level Just swipe each forkful through a small amount and wow, the dish pops with flavor.
