One of the first chefs to be working in and offering cooking classes in Poughkeepsie’s new Underwear Factory kitchen, Chef Wayne Homsi, owner of Casual Elegance Catering, shared one of his favorite recipes, perfect for an early summer meal with HudsonValleyEATS.com.
Grab some local strawberries and enjoy!
Baby Arugula, Fresh Strawberries, Goat Cheese, Toasted Almonds in a Lemon Vinaigrette
Serves 4
8 to 10 oz. baby arugula
8 oz. strawberries, green tops removed, halved and sliced
4 oz. crumbled goat cheese
1 ½ oz. toasted sliced almonds
½ cup Lemon Vinaigrette (see recipe below)
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
To Prepare the Salad:
Place the baby arugula and sliced strawberries in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
Toss gently with the lemon vinaigrette and taste and re-season if necessary. Divide salad among four plates, top with the crumbled goat cheese and toasted almonds.
Lemon Vinaigrette
(Yields 1 ½ cups) Makes extra for another recipe.
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
To Prepare the Lemon Vinaigrette:
Place lemon juice in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, pepper and whisk well to incorporate. Refrigerate until needed. Be sure to mix well before each use to ensure the vinaigrette stays emulsified.
Chef Wayne:
Chef Wayne is the owner of Casual Elegance Catering. If you like this salad and would like to know more about his catering services, cooking classes and weekly menu options, click here and don’t forget to mention you saw this on HudsonValleyEATS.com
