SERVES 8
ACTIVE TIME: 30 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 40 MINUTES
I love a salad with spring veggies, and this one has them all!
| 3 | tablespoons fresh lemon juice |
| ¼ | cup extra-virgin olive oil |
| 1 | tablespoon chopped parsley |
| Sea salt and freshly ground pepper | |
| 6 | baby carrots, peeled and quartered lengthwise |
| 6 | jumbo or 9 regular asparagus stalks, peeled |
| ½ | cup sugar snap peas, trimmed |
| 4 | cups assorted lettuces |
| 4 | radishes, julienned |
| 2 | white mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced |
| 1 | fennel bulb, halved, cored, and thinly sliced |
| 1 | cucumber, julienned |
| 1 | ripe avocado, cut into 2- by ¼-inch slices |
| 1 | cup pea sprouts or broccoli sprouts |
| ½ | cup raw cashew halves |
1. In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice with the olive oil and parsley. Season with sea salt and pepper.
2. Bring salted water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the carrots and asparagus and cook until the asparagus is bright green and the carrots are just tender, about 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the asparagus and carrots to a platter.
3. Add the sugar snap peas to the saucepan and cook until they turn bright green, about 30 seconds. Transfer to the platter and let cool. Cut the sugar snap peas into julienne strips.
4. Halve the asparagus pieces lengthwise, then halve them crosswise.
5. Put the lettuce, asparagus, carrots, sugar snap peas, radishes, mushrooms, fennel, cucumber, avocado, sprouts, and cashews in a large bowl. Add the vinaigrette and toss well. Serve immediately.
Everything Spring Vegetable Salad
SERVES 4
ACTIVE TIME: 45 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 4 hours
This salad works well when Mother Nature throws you a wet, cold day. It warms you up but doesn’t stuff you.
FOR THE PICKLED ONIONS:
In a medium bowl, combine onion with ½ cup vinegar, 1½ teaspoons salt, and ½ cup water and let stand until the onion is lightly pickled, 3 to 4 hours. Drain.
FOR THE WARM VEGETABLE VINAIGRETTE:
1. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add carrot, parsnip, 4 sprigs thyme, and a pinch of pepper. Season with salt and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3 minutes. Put the vegetables on a plate and discard the thyme.
2. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet along with the squash, celery root, remaining 4 thyme sprigs, and a pinch of pepper. Season with salt and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until squash and celery root are tender, 5 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs.
3. Return the carrots and parsnips to the skillet. Stir in the remaining ¼ cup vinegar and ½ cup olive oil.
4. Toss the Bibb lettuce with the warm vegetable vinaigrette in a serving bowl and top with the slightly pickled onions.
SERVES 6
ACTIVE TIME: 15 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 50 MINUTES
I love soba noodles. They are a crowd-pleaser. This is a colorful salad that looks beautiful in a serving bowl.
| 1 | package soba noodles |
| 1 | cucumber |
| 8 | radishes |
| ½ | pound sugar snap peas |
| ¼ | cup extra-virgin olive oil |
| 1 | tablespoon soy sauce |
| 2 | tablespoons fresh lemon juice |
| Sea salt and freshly ground pepper |
1. Cook soba noodles as directed, then place in refrigerator to chill (30 minutes).
2. Thinly slice cucumber and radishes.
3. Put sugar snap peas in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to a bowl with ice water for 5 minutes, or until cool. Cut into halves.
4. Combine ingredients in a bowl and dress with olive oil, soy sauce, and lemon juice. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste.