Pickled Feta and Cerignola Olives with Strawberries

Ingredients

• 12 ounces baby spinach 
• 0.3 cup cilantro leaves chopped
• 2 tablespoons coriander seeds 
• 2 pounds feta cheese diced crumbled (roughly)
• 0.5 cup granulated sugar 
• 2 tablespoons mustard seeds 
• 0.3 cup olive oil extra virgin extra-virgin
• 1 pound olives green black red pitted cut in half (, , or )
• 6 servings salt and pepper white
• 1 medium shallots sliced
• 1 pound strawberries fresh hulled cut in quarters
• 3 cups balsamic vinegar white
• 4  garlic clove whole

Equipment

• bowl
• paper towels
• sauce pan
• mixing bowl
• pot

Directions

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.
2. Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool completely.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. This dish should be served fresh as the strawberries will begin to break down and lose color over time. Use any leftover pickling solution to drizzle over salad greens.
6. Reprinted with permission from Di Bruno Bros. House of Cheese: A Guide to Wedges, Recipes, and Pairings by Tenaya Darlington, Running Press, a member of the Perseus Books Group.