Cherry Beef Salad with Cherry Malbec Vinaigrette

I’m SOooo excited … there are sweet cherries in my house! I almost never have sweet cherries. They just don’t grow here, and I can’t bear to pay $4 to $5 per pound for them so I very very rarely buy them. But this year must be a good cherry year because I’ve seen them for $2.50 – $3.00/pound. So I bought some! Three times now! The first time my daughter ate all of them. The second time she ate most of them, but I got a few. THIS time must be my turn because she hasn’t touched them yet. So I seized the opportunity and put them in my salad. And while I was at it, I made a cherry red wine vinaigrette, which turned out even better than I ever dreamed it would. I just started throwing things together and up came this brilliant-tasting cherry red sweet/tart vinaigrette that’s just super yummy.

Cherry Beef Salad with Toasted Pecans

I think some goat cheese would be nice on this salad too, but I’m all out of it!

• Mixed greens with spinach
• Pitted sweet cherries
• Sweet onion, sliced and roughly chopped
• Sweet bell pepper, chopped
• Toasted pecans
• Chunks or slices of cooked beef or venison (I used some leftover Spiedies)
• Cherry Malbec Vinaigrette (recipe below)

Fill your salad bowl most of the way with greens. Toss on a bunch of cherries, some onion, a little bell pepper and then sprinkle with a few toasted pecans. Drizzle generously with cherry malbec vinaigrette and enjoy.

Cherry Malbec Vinaigrette

• 10 sweet cherries, pitted
• 1/4 cup Malbec (or other red wine)
• 2 Tablespoons cherry (or berry) syrup
• 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• a few fresh basil leaves
• a few sprigs of fresh thyme
• a few sprigs of fresh dill
• 1/4 teaspoon Sriracha
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds (optional, but they add nutritional value and help thicken the dressing)

In a handi chopper, blender or food process, blend up all the ingredients well till the cherries and garlic are fully pureed. Store in a covered bottle in the fridge.

This recipe was shared at Summer Salad Sunday, Hearth & Soul Bloghop and Manic Monday.