Yellow Squash + Strawberry, Pickled Red Onion & Dark Ale Mustard Vinaigrette

When you are married to an engineer, whose vision is in absolutes or black and white; the concept of using all the primary colors to freewheel based on instinct is often a point of our discussions. This Saturday morning was no different than any other, as we drove to the market, my husband was curious about what I’d concoct that morning.

“What’re you going to make today?”

Almost as a verbal shrug, I responded, “I don’t know yet, whatever speaks to me; I’m sure it’s a similar creative process when you program.”

He hesitated and then said, “Sure, maybe, but it’s not the same.”

I could see his inner wheels turn, and I laid it out for him, “Yes, I think it is, you have your basic structure what’s needed in the code, but need to figure out where all the components go and when you introduce them in sequence so that the end product works. That’s exactly what I do, I see what’s available, figure out how they work together and then ‘program’ them together into a recipe.”

Once at the market, the primary colors of the fresh produce started to get my dials turning.

The yellow squash at Kelly’s Farm Stand was fresh and tender and would make a great slaw or salad. And the dark red strawberries at Charlton Orchards told me that they’d ripened in the early summer sun; begging to be used, showcasing their peak ripeness. And lastly, I also added West River Creamery’s Pickled Red Onions and Dark Ale Mustard in the resulting vinaigrette.

This yellow squash slaw with the strawberry, pickled red onion and mustard vinaigrette is not only colorful, but also refreshingly tasty that took most of the customers by surprise. It would pair well with a portion of grilled chicken, fish or even as a topper on a burger.

Serves 4-6

2 cups of shredded yellow squash
¾ cups of shredded ripe strawberries
2 tbs. chopped pickled onions + 2 tbs. pickling juices
1+ tsp. dark ale mustard
½ tbs. cider vinegar
1¼ tbs. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1. Shred the squash in a bowl using the large holed grater, cover and set aside
2. Shred the strawberries using the same large holed grater in a separate bowl
3. Chop up the pickled red onions and add it to the bowl with the strawberries
4. Add the mustard, pickling juices, olive oil and cider vinegar along with the salt and pepper to the bowl with the strawberries
5. Whisk and stir the vinaigrette until all the flavors meld, adjust for acid, salt and pepper
6. Let the vinaigrette sit for at least 30 minutes before serving

Tip – Keeping the shredded squash separate from the vinaigrette will help keep the squash from losing all it’s moisture and getting runny. It will also keep the slaw from turning red, let the separate colors pop on a plate