This salad uses vegetables that highlight the best of spring: the peak of local asparagus and spring radishes, combined with a bit of cauliflower that’s still in abundance. The lemony-honey-mustardy-spicy-bitter-sweet-ish dressing will glorify pretty much any salad; screaming for experimentation with a variety of vegetables.
The idea of using a whole lemon, rather than just the juice or just the rind appeals to me. I have made simple cakes using whole lemons, and others using whole mandarins; where the fruit is simmered in a simple syrup, with delicious results. Using the whole fruit brings out all the tasty elements of the citrus: sweet rind, tangy juice and slightly bitter-tart pith.
My backyard is home to three (3!!!) lemon trees, a mandarin tree and a kumquat tree. It’s fair to say I am a fan of citrus! And currently there are: Plenty. Of. Lemons.
As you can see from the photo toward the end of this post, I later mixed in some grilled, harissa-rubbed chicken slices to make a meal out of this salad. Infinite possibilities!
Fun food fact: California produces 80 percent of the asparagus grown in the United States. Check out additional information about the crazy-healthy vegetable here.
Lemony Spring Salad
Inspired by Carla Hall, Saveur 100, 2014
INGREDIENTS
- 1 bunch asparagus spears, (1 pound, approximately 16 spears)
- 1/ 2 head cauliflower, (1 pound)
- 6-8 French breakfast radishes
- 1 lemon, quartered and seeds removed
- 1/ 2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/ 4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/ 8 to 1/ 4 teaspoon Piment d’Esplette to taste (substitute pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper)
- 1/ 4 cup fresh mint leaves, sliced or minced
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the dressing: Combine the quartered lemon, olive oil, garlic, mustard, honey, salt and pepper into a blender. Purée until smooth. Pour through a fine meshed strainer to remove any fibrous bits. Taste to adjust seasoning to your liking. If you prefer more spice, dial up the pepper. More or less sweet? Adjust the honey. Vegan? Substitute date or coconut sugar! Set the dressing aside while you prepare the vegetables.
Prepare the vegetables:
- Rinse the asparagus, cauliflower and radishes well. Slice the asparagus into 2-inch lengths, discarding the tough ends. Separate the cauliflower and cut into bite-sized pieces. Slice the radishes.
- Steam or blanch the asparagus until just barely tender. Really, just a minute or two; you want to retain some crunch. Remove from heat and immediately purge into a bath of iced water to halt further cooking. Repeat with the cauliflower. Drain the cooked and cooled vegetables in a colander, and then pat them dry with a clean towel (or paper towels) to remove as water as you can. Any clinging water will dilute the dressing.
- Combine the asparagus and cauliflower in a large bowl. Toss with about 1/ 4 cup of the dressing, coating the vegetables well. Add the sliced radishes and toss again. Add more dressing if desired, and taste again to adjust the seasoning to your liking. Although I prefer a light hand when it comes to dressing salads, this heartier salad can take a bit more (think sauce); especially when you add a bit of protein to make a complete meal.
- Arrange the salad onto serving plates. Finish with a generous flourish of mint leaves (minced or sliced “chiffonade”). Don’t hold back on the mint! It adds an important flavor component to the salad.
Notes: (1) Any remaining dressing should be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator. Use within a couple of days. (2) No blender? No problem! Just finely grate the rind of the lemon (I use a micro-plane), and squeeze the lemon to measure 1/ 4 cup of juice. Add minced garlic and the remaining seasonings, then whisk in the olive oil. Voilà – salad dressing!
Here is one of my favorite sources for fresh asparagus every week at the farmers’ market
My lunch after a morning of salad making and photo shooting!
