A crisp, fresh alternative to both green salads and side vegetables, this recipe for summer vegetable salad is at its best using produce from your local farm stand or farmer’s market.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 12 minutes
Ingredients:
- ¼ pound green beans, cut in half
- ¼ pound sugar snap or snow peas, stems removed
- ½ pound asparagus, cut in 2-inch lengths
- 2 kirby cucumbers, cut in half lengthwise sliced on the bias in 1/2 “ slices
- 1 carrot, sliced very thin
- 12 cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh ‘sweet” herbs, such as dill, basil, tarragon, and/or mint
- To serve:
- 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or 1 teaspoon vinegar
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Preparation:
Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a stainless steel pot. Add green beans, peas, and asparagus, and cook for one minute, until bright green. Drain vegetables and drop into a bowl of very cold or ice water to stop cooking. Drain well.
In medium bowl, toss cooked and raw vegetables with herbs. The salad can be made ahead to this point, and refrigerated for up to 8 hours.
To serve: Toss salad with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Note: You can substitute your favorite vinaigrette for the lemon juice and olive oil, but always wait until serving to dress the vegetables, as they will lose their bright color from the acid in the dressing.
Serves 6
Copyright 2009 by Jen Hoy
