Pickled Feta and Cerignola Olives with Strawberries
A vibrant and unique salad featuring pickled feta cheese combined with Cerignola olives, fresh strawberries, and baby spinach. The feta is pickled in a aromatic brine of champagne vinegar, herbs, and spices for a delightfully tangy flavor.
Ingredients
- •3 cups Champagne vinegar or white balsamic vinegar
- •½ cup granulated sugar
- •2 tablespoons coriander seeds
- •2 tablespoons mustard seeds
- •1 medium shallot
- •4 whole garlic cloves
- •4 sprigs cilantro
- •2 pounds feta
- •1 pound Cerignola olives
- •1 pound fresh strawberries
- •¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- •¼ cup cilantro
- •12 ounces baby spinach
- •to taste Salt and white pepper
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
To prepare the pickle, combine the vinegar, 3 cups of water, sugar, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, shallot, garlic, and cilantro in a small saucepan. Bring the pickling liquid to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce to a simmer, and allow the contents to cook for 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool completely.
20 min
- 2.
Place the feta in a large mixing bowl or divide it between two 1-quart jars, and pour the cool pickling solution over the cheese. Make sure all of the feta is completely submerged. (If you use quart jars, you will have a little bit of extra brine left over, which you can use for a salad dressing.) Cover the feta and refrigerate it for at least five days.
7200 min
- 3.
To prepare the salad, remove the pickled feta from the liquid and drain it on paper towels. In a salad bowl, toss together the olives, strawberries, olive oil, chopped cilantro, and spinach. Stir in the feta, then season with salt and pepper, if desired.
15 min