Name: Strawberry Spinach Salad
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 6 ounces baby spinach; 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced; ½ cup pecans, roughly chopped; 3 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled; ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced; *Poppy Seed Dressing:**; ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil; 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 1 tablespoon honey; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1½ teaspoons poppy seeds; Salt and freshly ground black pepper

This is the salad that appears on every spring table for good reason. Baby spinach, sliced strawberries, candied pecans, crumbled goat cheese, and a poppy seed dressing that pulls it all together. It's bright, it's crunchy, it's creamy, and it looks beautiful in the bowl.

Ingredients

6 ounces baby spinach
2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
½ cup pecans, roughly chopped
3 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled
¼ small red onion, thinly sliced
*Poppy Seed Dressing:**
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1½ teaspoons poppy seeds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Make the dressing: Whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, and poppy seeds until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.
Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, tossing occasionally, until fragrant and lightly browned. Watch them — they go from toasted to burnt fast. Let cool.
In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries, red onion, and pecans.
Drizzle with the dressing and toss gently to coat. You don't need all the dressing — add it gradually until the greens are lightly glistening.
Scatter the crumbled goat cheese over the top. Serve immediately.
*Storage:** Dress just before serving. The components keep separately for a day.
*Seasonal note:** When strawberries are truly in season — local, sun-ripened, fragrant — they need almost nothing. This salad is at its best in those few weeks. Out of season, use the best-looking strawberries you can find and let them sit at room temperature for an hour before slicing.