Frog Hollow Farm’s Mario Hernandez has access to some of the best fruit in the country. As the culinary coordinator at the Brentwood organic farm, Hernandez spends his days plucking and tasting fruit right off the trees, from early June’s apricots to late-summer pluots.
One of his favorite things to do with stone fruit is to make three-ingredient salads. This one, which Hernandez whips up for staff, uses two types of fat — cream and olive oil — to balance out the sweetness and acidity in the plums.
Early Summer Salad of Santa Rosa Plums and Japanese Cucumbers
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 medium cucumber, skin removed, sliced
2 Santa Rosa plums, pitted and cut into 8 pieces
8 small mint leaves
½ small shallot, minced and then macerated in vinegar for 10 minutes
Purslane or a mix of herbs, like tarragon and basil, to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon olive oil
White vinegar to taste
Directions
Arrange fruits, vegetables and herbs on a serving platter. Season with salt and pepper. Mix heavy cream, olive oil and white vinegar to make a dressing. Drizzle on salad. Season with more salt and pepper if you like. Serve immediately.
— Recipe courtesy Mario Hernandez, Frog Hollow Farms, Brentwood
