Zenith Point Salad Cheese (Printable Version)

Artfully arranged greens, vibrant produce, and toasted nuts converge around a creamy artisanal cheese wheel centerpiece.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fresh Produce

01 - 2 cups baby arugula
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - ½ cucumber, thinly sliced
04 - 1 small watermelon radish, thinly sliced
05 - ¼ cup pomegranate seeds

→ Nuts & Seeds

06 - ¼ cup toasted walnuts

→ Dressing

07 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
08 - 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
09 - 1 tsp honey
10 - ½ tsp Dijon mustard
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Cheese Centerpiece

12 - 1 small artisanal cheese wheel (approx. 9 oz), such as Saint-Marcellin, Brie, or local soft-ripened cheese

# Directions:

01 - Set the cheese wheel on a small pedestal or plate in one corner of a large serving platter or board.
02 - Arrange baby arugula in a sweeping arc radiating outward from the cheese wheel, creating lines pointing toward it.
03 - Layer halved cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, and watermelon radish slices in orderly rows, all angled to face the cheese wheel.
04 - Distribute pomegranate seeds and toasted walnuts evenly along the arranged produce, maintaining the directional pattern.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
06 - Lightly drizzle the dressing over the salad, avoiding the cheese wheel to maintain its texture.
07 - Present immediately, encouraging guests to cut slices from the cheese wheel and combine with the arranged ingredients.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours in the kitchen when it actually takes twenty minutes flat.
  • The cheese wheel becomes your table's conversation piece, not just an afterthought.
  • Every bite combines different textures and flavors because you're mixing elements as you eat.
  • It works for weeknight dinners or fancy gatherings without changing a thing.
02 -
  • The cheese wheel needs to be at room temperature before serving, or it'll be dense and tight instead of creamy and welcoming—pull it out thirty minutes early.
  • Don't dress the salad more than five minutes before serving or the arugula starts to wilt and lose that snappy texture that makes it special.
03 -
  • Use a mandoline for the cucumber and radish—it creates that gossamer thinness that expensive restaurants charge you for, and it transforms how the salad looks and feels on the plate.
  • Toast your walnuts in a dry pan for two minutes just before building the salad; the aroma alone will make people think something extraordinary is happening in your kitchen.
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