Zenith Point Artisanal Cheese Salad (Printable Version)

Artfully arranged salad with fresh produce, toasted walnuts, and an eye-catching artisanal cheese wheel at its core.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fresh Produce

01 - 2 cups baby arugula
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
04 - 1 small watermelon radish, thinly sliced
05 - 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds

→ Nuts & Seeds

06 - 1/4 cup toasted walnuts

→ Dressing

07 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
08 - 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
09 - 1 teaspoon honey
10 - 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Cheese Centerpiece

12 - 1 small artisanal cheese wheel (approximately 8.8 ounces), such as Saint-Marcellin, Brie, or local soft-ripened cheese

# Steps:

01 - Place the cheese wheel on a small pedestal or plate at one corner of a large serving platter or board.
02 - Arrange baby arugula in a sweeping arc radiating from the cheese wheel outward, creating lines that direct attention to the cheese.
03 - Place cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, and watermelon radish slices in orderly rows, all angled toward the cheese wheel to maintain the directional pattern.
04 - Scatter pomegranate seeds and toasted walnuts evenly along the arranged ingredients, preserving the visual flow toward the cheese.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
06 - Drizzle the dressing lightly over the salad components, avoiding the cheese wheel to keep it dry.
07 - Serve immediately, inviting guests to cut portions from the cheese wheel and combine with the arranged salad elements.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's a salad that becomes the conversation before you even taste it, turning a simple arrangement into theater on your table.
  • Everything tastes as good as it looks, with each ingredient contributing something different: crunch, sweetness, earthiness, and that perfect creamy cheese moment.
  • Prep takes twenty minutes, but the impact lasts all evening.
02 -
  • Slice your vegetables just before assembly—radishes and cucumbers will lose their snap if they sit too long, and you need that crispness for the final magic.
  • The cheese wheel is the reward at the end, so choose one that's ripe enough to cut cleanly but firm enough to hold its shape on the platter.
03 -
  • Toast your walnuts in a dry pan just before assembly so they're still warm and their smell is front and center—it's a small detail that changes the whole experience.
  • Use a sharp knife and a gentle hand when slicing vegetables thin; they need to be delicate enough to feel precious, not shattered.
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