Use ripe, fresh berries, good goat cheese, vinegar and olive oil, and fresh thyme if you can. All of these things will give you the best tasting salad.

For salad:

6-8 ounces fresh arugula

8-12 ounces fresh blackberries

4 ounces chevre (goat cheese), crumbled

½ cup toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped

For blackberry-thyme vinaigrette:

3 heaping Tablespoons blackberry jam (seedless, all-fruit is best)

4 Tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, finely minced

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

¼-1/2 teaspoon grainy or Dijon mustard

salt and pepper, to taste

For salad: Place arugula in one large or several smaller salad bowls. Top with the fresh blackberries, chevre and hazelnuts. Drizzle with some of the blackberry-thyme vinaigrette. Pass the remaining vinaigrette alongside.
For blackberry-thyme vinaigrette: Whisk jam with vinegar. While whisking, add the olive oil in a slow, steady drizzle. Add the garlic, thyme, and mustard. Taste and add salt and pepper.