RECIPE: A Delicious Spring Salad You'll Devour in One Sitting

Trust me, it's THAT good

I love salad. Not those nasty bowls of iceberg lettuce chunks drowned in blue cheese dressing or the kind of fake Chinese salad smothered in stale wonton noodles. I love fresh, crunchy, robust salads with savory dressings. If there’s an avocado in the mix, I’ll might actually start purring.

So, what with it’s being spring and all, I thought I’d share one of my favorite salad recipes with you. It’s not as time intensive as it looks, and after you’ve made it a time or two, you’ll knock it out in about fifteen minutes.

Don’t buy the cheap olive oil though. The good stuff makes all the difference.

Salad Ingredients:

1 bunch asparagus, tender parts of the stalks chopped into 1-inch sections
Three handfuls of salad greens, your choice
3/4 cup thawed frozen peas
3/4 cup feta cheese
2 radishes, thinly sliced
1 avocado, pitted and diced
1/2 cup chopped, toasted pistachios
1/2 cup roasted chickpeas
Fresh herbs, for garnish (mint, basil, and/or chives)
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Salad Dressing:

1/4 cup fresh basil or a mix of basil and mint
1 large clove garlic
1 tbsp lemon juice, plus 1/2 tsp zest
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 tsp sea salt

Instructions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Set a bowl of ice water nearby. Blanch (cook) the asparagus for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. It should be tender, but still bright green. Transfer to the ice water for 1 minute, and then drain. I prefer to chop the asparagus into 1-inch pieces now instead of before I cook them. Allow the asparagus to dry. Transfer it to a bowl and add the peas.

2. To make the dressing: In a food processor, pulse together the herbs, garlic, lemon juice, zest, vinegar, olive oil, and salt.

3. Add half the dressing to the bowl with the asparagus and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. On a platter, arrange the salad greens, then layer the asparagus/pea mixture, the radishes, feta, avocado, toasted pistachios, chickpeas, and herbs. Drizzle with remaining dressing, add a dash more of salt and pepper, and then serve.

   Note: To roast your chickpeas so they’re nice and crispy (the only time I like a mushy chickpea is when I’m making hummus), try the following:

   1. Preheat your heat to 425.

   2. Drain and rinse your chickpeas, discarding any loose membranes. Pat them with a kitchen towel, making sure they’re as dry as possible.

   3. Transfer chickpeas to a bowl. Toss with olive oil and plenty of sea salt.

   4. Spread coated chickpeas over a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until crispy, usually between 20-30 minutes.

   5. Allow to cool before adding them to your salad.

      Buon appetito!

      
      When you make this salad—or if you have any thoughts or suggestions about making it even better—please chime in. Leave your comments below.