Spring is here - lilacs are blooming, birds are chirping and the farmers' market is back with an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables. A favorite spring vegetable of mine is asparagus. It is readily available and there are countless ways of preparing it. Indulge and enjoy spring's vegetables in this beautiful salad of asparagus, peas, beans and fennel. Bright in color, delicious and healthy.
Spring Salad: Asparagus, Peas
Beans and Fennel
adapted from
Patricia Wells
Salad As A Meal
Healthy Main-Dish Salads for Every Season
Ingredients
1 pound fresh green asparagus , trimmed
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
1 pound haricots verts, trimmed at both ends and cut into 3 inch pieces
8 ounces peas, fresh or frozen
1 small bulb fennel (4 ounces)
Creamy Lemon-Chive Dressing
Fine Sea Salt
Coarse, freshly ground black pepper
Directions
1. Prepare 4 large bowls of ice water.
2. Trim the asparagus, discarding the woody ends, Trim the tender tips on the diagonal to about 4 inches. Cut the remaining into 3-inch pieces.
3. Fill a pasta pot with 3 quarts of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the coarse salt and the asparagus stalk pieces. Blanch uncovered for 1 minute. Then add the tips and cook until crisp tender, about 3 minutes. Immediately remove from the water with a fine mesh strainer, letting the water drain from the asparagus and reserving the cooking water. Plunge the asparagus into a bowl of ice water so they cool down as quickly as possible .and retain the crispness and bright green color, Drain the asparagus and wrap them in a thick kitchen towel to dry.
4. Bring the water back to a boil, add the green beans and blanch, uncovered, until very tender, about 4 minutes. Immediately drain the beans (again reserving the cooking water) and plunge them into the second bowl of ice water so they cool down as quickly as possible and retain their crispness and bright green color. Transfer the beans to a colander and wrap in a thick kitchen towel to dry. Keep them wrap and at room temperature.
5. Bring 1 quart of water to a simmer at the bottom of a steamer. Place the peas on the steaming rack. Place the rack over the simmering water, cover and steam just until the peas are cooked al dente, 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately drain the peas and plunge them into another bowl of ice water so they cool down as quickly as possible and retain their crispness and brightness and bright green color. Drain the peas.
6. With a mandoline, cut the fennel into very thin slices and drop into the last bowl of ice water to crisp them for about 10 minutes.
7. At serving time, drain the fennel, combine all the vegetables in a large bowl and toss with just enough dressing to coat them lightly and evenly. Taste for the seasoning. Season with pepper.
Creamy Lemon-Chive Dressing
Ingredients
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup light cream
1/3 cup minced fresh chives
Lemon zest
Directions
In a jar combine the lemon juice and salt. Cover with the lid to dissolve the salt. Add the cream, chives and lemon zest. Shake to blend. Taste for seasoning. The dressing can be used immediately and stored up to 1 week.
Serve as a meal or as a side dish with grilled salmon or chicken. Top with shrimp and serve with crusty bread and a chilled glass of Sauvignon Blanc.
Although the Creamy Lemon-Chive dressing is delicious, I would prefer a lighter dressing such as a lemony vinaigrette.
Spring Salad: Asparagus, Peas
Beans and Fennel
adapted from
Patricia Wells
Salad As A Meal
Healthy Main-Dish Salads for Every Season
Ingredients
1 pound fresh green asparagus , trimmed
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
1 pound haricots verts, trimmed at both ends and cut into 3 inch pieces
8 ounces peas, fresh or frozen
1 small bulb fennel (4 ounces)
Creamy Lemon-Chive Dressing
Fine Sea Salt
Coarse, freshly ground black pepper
Directions
1. Prepare 4 large bowls of ice water.
2. Trim the asparagus, discarding the woody ends, Trim the tender tips on the diagonal to about 4 inches. Cut the remaining into 3-inch pieces.
3. Fill a pasta pot with 3 quarts of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the coarse salt and the asparagus stalk pieces. Blanch uncovered for 1 minute. Then add the tips and cook until crisp tender, about 3 minutes. Immediately remove from the water with a fine mesh strainer, letting the water drain from the asparagus and reserving the cooking water. Plunge the asparagus into a bowl of ice water so they cool down as quickly as possible .and retain the crispness and bright green color, Drain the asparagus and wrap them in a thick kitchen towel to dry.
4. Bring the water back to a boil, add the green beans and blanch, uncovered, until very tender, about 4 minutes. Immediately drain the beans (again reserving the cooking water) and plunge them into the second bowl of ice water so they cool down as quickly as possible and retain their crispness and bright green color. Transfer the beans to a colander and wrap in a thick kitchen towel to dry. Keep them wrap and at room temperature.
5. Bring 1 quart of water to a simmer at the bottom of a steamer. Place the peas on the steaming rack. Place the rack over the simmering water, cover and steam just until the peas are cooked al dente, 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately drain the peas and plunge them into another bowl of ice water so they cool down as quickly as possible and retain their crispness and brightness and bright green color. Drain the peas.
6. With a mandoline, cut the fennel into very thin slices and drop into the last bowl of ice water to crisp them for about 10 minutes.
7. At serving time, drain the fennel, combine all the vegetables in a large bowl and toss with just enough dressing to coat them lightly and evenly. Taste for the seasoning. Season with pepper.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup light cream
1/3 cup minced fresh chives
Lemon zest
Directions
In a jar combine the lemon juice and salt. Cover with the lid to dissolve the salt. Add the cream, chives and lemon zest. Shake to blend. Taste for seasoning. The dressing can be used immediately and stored up to 1 week.
Although the Creamy Lemon-Chive dressing is delicious, I would prefer a lighter dressing such as a lemony vinaigrette.
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