Chocolate Sherry Vinaigrette over Arugula with Cheese and Figs
Inspiration finds me in a variety of places. Sometimes, it is actually found on non edible piece that drive me to create a recipe.
While meandering in Lexington, Kentucky, one of my favorite cities in the world, I found my way into a haunted, old antique shop that had vintage punch bowls, sterling silver mint julep cups and carved wooden knives. Next to the old football team photo with a line up of lovely, burly gentlemen, I spied a wooden disk haloed in a red, painted edge with a buxom knife. It is a seemingly simple piece but its unknown history called to me. I imagined it was a hunting marker and that southern farmers used it as a cutting board to fillet their venison.
My instinct was to use the round, weathered board as a serving piece, offering up simple fare to some last minute lunch guests. A few figs and some good cheese were the perfect mates to a bunch of lucky arugula that was dressed in a dark chocolate vinaigrette. Chocolate salad dressing? Yes. Don’t spend time questioning it, refocus your energy on buying the ingredients so you can give it a try.
Chocolate Sherry Vinaigrette
1/4 cup melted dark chocolate
1/4 cup balsamic or sherry vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil ( I used Apollo olive oil Gold Series from California)
Combine oil and vinegar in a bowl. Whisk in dark chocolate. Toss over organic, fresh greens.
Tags: antique, balsamic, chocolate, dressing, olive oil, salad, sherry, vinagrette
[...] Rather than saving it for dessert, I surprise guests with chocolate at unexpected times – as part of the salad, in savory dishes or as a first course. Always, there is chocolate around the house and often as [...]