Blackberry Basil Salad

Blackberries and basil are a refreshing, vibrant, fragrant and nutrient dense combination. Blackberries have one of the highest antioxidant amounts out of all fruits along with high levels of manganese, vitamins C and K and fiber. Basil has been around for thousands of years and has been infamous and revered in several cultures around the world. It has been considered a sacred protector for important buildings and graves, a symbol of love, a talisman against the devil, a marker of misfortune, an antidote for the monster basilisk’s bites and a cause for scorpions growing in the brain (since placing it under rocks had the same outcome). While its current position as a common herb is less interesting it is still worthy of attention. It has a unique flavour that compliments the sweetness of the blackberries and fits well in light salads with lots of raw fruits and vegetables. There are many different types of basil, the ones available in markets are limited to a couple widely enjoyed sweet varieties but gardening stores that sell the plants may have more options- some are purple and some have different flavours that are more citrusy or spicy. In the photo below the ones on the top are Thai basil (good for Asian dishes like curries and coconut soup) and the ones on the bottom are regular sweet basil, the best option for salads. The tricky thing about basil is that it starts to turn black if cut with a metal knife or rubbed too hard so I find it best to rinse the leaves in a colander, lay them out on a dish towel, roll it up so the water on both sides is absorbed and then rip the leaves into smaller pieces with my fingers. Beyond the blackberry basil combination I like to add mixed greens, a smaller and more tender type like baby romaine, buttery pecans, balsamic vinaigrette and feta (or hemp hearts as a dairy-free option).
Feta cheese- sharp, salty and crumbly- goes really, really well with berries, basil and balsamic vinaigrette. It is traditionally made with a combination of sheep and goat milk but versions with just goat milk are available at lots of farmers markets’ and grocers. In many parts of the world is it goat, not cow milk, that young children are weaned on and people consume. Interestingly, it is easier for most people to digest than cow’s milk. It does have a different flavour that may not be as appealing in other types of cheeses, like the unusual tanginess in soft goat cheese, but it works nicely and more subtly for harder or semi-firm cheeses like feta. The goats at the farm I got this from were pretty excited to see me, they were a little confused about who was feeding who but they quickly returned their interest to the grass.