Description
A fresh and vibrant spring salad featuring tender asparagus, crisp snow peas, sweet fresh peas, and crisp baby gem lettuce, all tossed in a zesty lemon and mint dressing and topped with creamy goat cheese. Perfect as a light side dish for 4 to 6 people, this salad celebrates crisp textures and bright flavors of early spring produce.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 3 bunches (24 spears) asparagus, woody ends snapped off
- 120g / 4oz snow peas, trimmed and strings removed
- 1 head baby gem or cos lettuce (16 leaves), washed
- 2 cups fresh or frozen peas
Dressing
- 1 cup (loosely packed) fresh mint leaves, roughly torn
- 1 tsp lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
- 2 tbsp (30ml) lemon juice
- 6 tbsp (90ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Toppings
- 90g / 3oz goat cheese, small chunks
Instructions
- Boil water: Bring a large pot of water to the boil to prepare for blanching the vegetables.
- Cook snow peas: Add the snow peas to the boiling water and cook for 1 1/2 minutes to retain crispness and color.
- Add asparagus: Add the asparagus spears to the pot and boil together with snow peas for another 1 1/2 minutes.
- Add peas: Add the fresh or frozen peas and boil for an additional 30 seconds or until the water just returns to a simmer and peas turn bright green.
- Drain and refresh: Immediately drain the vegetables and rinse under cold running water to halt the cooking process and keep the vegetables crisp.
- Dry vegetables: Remove asparagus and snow peas and blot dry with paper towels. Leave peas in the colander, occasionally tossing to dry them thoroughly. Well-dried vegetables ensure the dressing adheres better.
- Prepare lettuce: Split the larger baby gem leaves down the middle while leaving smaller leaves whole for texture variety.
- Cut asparagus: Slice asparagus spears in half on a slight angle to create bite-sized pieces.
- Make dressing: Combine mint leaves, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a jar and shake well to emulsify the dressing.
- Toss salad: Combine all prepared vegetables in a large bowl, pour over the dressing, and toss gently to evenly coat.
- Assemble and serve: Arrange the salad on a serving platter, top with small chunks of goat cheese, and serve immediately to enjoy the fresh flavors.
Notes
- Snap off woody ends of asparagus to ensure tender pieces.
- Baby gem or cos lettuce provides a crisp, fresh base for this salad.
- If using frozen peas, no need to thaw before cooking.
- Drying vegetables thoroughly is key to preventing diluted dressing and ensuring good coating.
- Serving immediately helps preserve the freshness and texture of the salad.
