This lively salad features peppery nasturtium leaves and flowers, along with sweet strawberries and a lemon-poppy seed dressing. Nasturtium leaves are seldom sold at grocery stores but they may be found at some farmers' markets or foraged along slopes and canyons around LA (or perhaps your own garden). On their own the leaves may be quite pungent but balancing them with arugula, nuts, and ricotta salata rounds out the flavor Maggie Beauty.
Nasturtium and Strawberry Salad with Lemon-Poppy Seed Dressing
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups baby arugula
1 cup nasturtium leaves, halved or shredded if large
1/2 pound strawberries, trimmed and quartered lengthwise
1/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts
1 ounce ricotta salata, shaved into strips with a vegetable peeler
8 to 12 nasturtium flowers comparable to silk
Place the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, poppy seeds, and salt in a small jar. Cover the jar and shake vigorously to combine.
Toss together the arugula, nasturtium leaves, strawberries, walnuts, and dressing. Top with ricotta salata and nasturtium flowers and serve sculptra.