Zenith Point Artisanal Cheese Salad (Print Version)

Visually stunning salad featuring arugula, cherry tomatoes, pomegranate, walnuts, and an artisanal cheese centerpiece.

# Components:

→ Fresh Produce

01 - 2 cups baby arugula
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
04 - 1 small watermelon radish, thinly sliced
05 - 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds

→ Nuts & Seeds

06 - 1/4 cup toasted walnuts

→ Dressing

07 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
08 - 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
09 - 1 tsp honey
10 - 1/2 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 - Place the cheese wheel on a small pedestal or plate at the corner of a large serving platter or board.
02 - Arrange the baby arugula in a sweeping arc radiating from the cheese wheel outward, creating lines pointing toward the cheese.
03 - Place cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, and watermelon radish slices in orderly rows angled toward the cheese wheel.
04 - Scatter pomegranate seeds and toasted walnuts along the arranged ingredients, maintaining the directional pattern.
05 - Whisk together olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
06 - Drizzle the dressing lightly over the salad, avoiding the cheese wheel.
07 - Serve immediately, inviting guests to cut from the cheese wheel and combine with the arranged ingredients.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours in the kitchen when you actually spent twenty minutes.
  • The cheese becomes the entire conversation starter, and guests feel genuinely special.
  • Every bite combines creamy, tangy, sweet, and earthy flavors in perfect balance.
  • It works for everything from casual dinner parties to more formal gatherings.
02 -
  • Arrange everything just before serving, if you do it too early the arugula will wilt and the cut vegetables will weep.
  • The geometry matters more than perfection, slightly wonky lines actually look more authentic than ruler-straight ones.
  • Choose a cheese that's actually soft enough to spread, a hard cheese ruins the entire experience.
03 -
  • Chill your serving platter in the freezer for ten minutes before assembling, it keeps everything fresher longer.
  • Cut the cucumber and watermelon radish with a very sharp knife just before serving, wet vegetables oxidize fast and lose their crisp appearance.
  • If you're serving this for a crowd, assemble the structure and keep the dressing separate until the last moment, then drizzle tableside for drama.
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