The Newest Summery Salad Topping Craze!

When I got home from my adventures out west recently, my longsuffering roommate, Cyd, picked me up from the airport (on a school night!), and we finally got to dine a restaurant that we have been trying to get to for ages, the Bluebird Tavern in Essex Junction, VT. Our meal was lovely from start to finish, but one thing made enough of an impression on me to try to replicate at home: a green salad garnished with pickled blueberries! Who's ever heard of such a thing? Well, apparently, Saveur Magazine had, as I found an easy recipe there.

Turns out, pickled blueberries are super-simple to make. Dissolve 1/4 cup sugar and 1 3/4 tablespoons salt in a cup of white vinegar. Add a generous pint of blueberries and a small (or half a large) onion, slivered. I also threw in a dozen peppercorn for kicks. Then let the berries macerate overnight. That's it.

I used the pickled blueberries to compose what I am calling the Blue-on-Blue Salad: local greens, Danish blue cheese crumbles, candied pecans, heirloom golden tomato, sweet onion slivers, and a simple, homemade Dijon vinaigrette. DEE-LISH!