Sunburst Salad Recipe

Toast almonds

Place sliced almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat. Stir frequently for 3–5 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden. Immediately transfer to a plate to stop cooking and cool.

Prepare watermelon radish

Trim ends of the watermelon radish, peel if skin is tough, and use a mandoline or sharp knife to slice into very thin rounds (about 1–2 mm). If desired, soak slices in ice water for 5 minutes to make them extra crisp, then drain and pat dry.

Assemble salad base

In a large salad bowl, add 6 cups of spring mix. Gently toss the greens to separate leaves and remove any tough stems.

Add fruits and cheese

Evenly scatter 1 cup mandarin segments, 1 cup dried cranberries, and 3 oz crumbled Point Reyes blue cheese over the greens.

Add almonds and radish

Sprinkle the toasted sliced almonds and the thin watermelon radish rounds over the top, reserving a small pinch of almonds for garnish if desired.

Finish

Hold off on dressing until ready to serve. If making salad ahead, keep dressing separate and add within 5–10 minutes of serving to keep greens crisp.

Mash the raspberries: place 3 tbsp fresh or thawed raspberries in a small bowl and gently mash with a fork until broken down but still slightly pulpy.

Combine aromatics and sweeteners: in a mixing bowl or jar, whisk together the mashed raspberries, 2 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp minced shallot, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, and 1 tsp honey (optional) until smooth.

Add acid: whisk in 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar until fully incorporated.

Emulsify with oil: while whisking constantly (or with the jar lid on, shake vigorously), slowly stream in 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil until the vinaigrette is emulsified and slightly thickened. If the dressing is too thick, whisk in up to 1 tbsp neutral oil or water to reach desired consistency.

Season and adjust: stir in 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust — add a splash more maple syrup if you prefer sweeter, or another teaspoon of vinegar if you like more tang.

Strain (optional): for a smooth vinaigrette, pass the dressing through a fine-mesh sieve to remove seeds and shallot bits. Alternatively, leave it textured for more raspberry flavor.

Store: refrigerate unused vinaigrette in a sealed container for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature and rewhisk or shake before using.

Dress the salad: just before serving, drizzle about 2–3 tbsp vinaigrette over the assembled salad (start with 2 tbsp and add more to taste). Gently toss the salad to coat the leaves and distribute toppings evenly. Garnish with retained toasted almonds if desired and serve immediately.