Spinach Salad with Strawberries and Mozzarella

Not so long ago we were in Rome, The Eternal City, sitting in a restaurant next to Fontana di Trevi. A beautiful Baroque fountain, commissioned in 1730 by Pope Clement XII and finished in 1762 under Pope Clement XIII, the fountain is one of the most famous in the world. Contrary to popular belief the main statue of the fountain does not represent Neptune, but Oceanus standing atop a shell-shaped chariot drawn by two sea horses and two gods. The horses represent the changing mood of the sea. Words can’t really describe the beauty of this masterpiece. A must-see for everyone visiting Rome. “La Dolce Vita” features a famous scene at the fountain with Sylvia bathing in it’s waters and Marcello following suit. Legend has it that throwing a coin into the fountain will ensure a return trip to Rome. Cool story that happens to generate over 3,000 EUR in coins daily. A rather romantic setting to say the least. I wanted to try something fresh so the waiter suggested a spinach salad with strawberries and mozzarella. Fresh and tasty strawberries in the middle of January? Yes. Turns out southern Italy is abundant with fruits and veggies, which make their way into dishes across Italy. Mixing fruits and veggies is tricky some say. Indeed it is, however this spinach and strawberry combo is guaranteed to a have light and refreshing taste. Fast and extremely easy to make. Mozzarella can be substituted with blue cheese or for those of you that are lactose intolerant, tofu.

Ingredients

• 50 g baby spinach (≈ 2 oz)
• 5-6 strawberries
• 50 g mozzarella cheese (≈ 2 oz)
• 2 Tbsp sesame seeds
• salt to taste
• apple vinegar to taste
• olive oil to taste

Instructions

1. Wash and clean the baby spinach. Remove the stems and let it rest in a bowl of your choosing.
2. Dice the mozzarella into 1cm (≈ 1/2 in) squares.
3. Wash and pat-dry the strawberries using paper towels. Cut each strawberry in 4 even pieces.
4. Add the strawberries and mozzarella to the spinach.
5. Season the mix to taste using salt, vinegar and olive oil. There are no preset measurements here, some like it salty, some like it sour.
6. In a non-stick pan toast the sesame seeds until they turn golden. See tips & tricks for more on this step.
7. Sprinkle the salad with sesame seeds.
8. Enjoy!

Tips & Tricks

Apple vinegar can be substituted with lemon juice, both have the necessary acidity and taste. Be careful not to burn the sesame seeds, keep stirring non-stop as they burn quickly. When picking strawberries don’t go for the biggest in the bunch, the smaller they are the more taste they pack.