Spring Greens Salad with Asparagus and Ham
Total time: 25 minutes
A variation on a Cobb Salad with the emphasis on spring: asparagus, radishes and spring greens.
Ingredients:
- 8oz (240gr) ham or smoked turkey
- 8oz (240gr) asparagus, white or green
- 3oz (90gr) goat cheese not the spreadable kind, but a proper cheese with an edible white rind
- 2 eggs, hard-boiled
- 6oz (180gr) spinach, mesclun, dandelion or any other fresh spring greens
- 1/3 cup sliced radishes
- Creamy Herb Dressing
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120gr) Greek or plain yogurt
- 1 tbs Dijon-style mustard
- 1 tbs lemon juice
- 1 tbs fresh snipped chives
- 1 tbs fresh snipped tarragon
- 3 tbs salad olive oil
Instructions:
- Hard boil eggs.
- Snap off ends of asparagus. If white use vegetable peeler and peel bottom half of stalk.
- Roll cut (cut the end off at an angle, roll 1/4 turn and cut next piece at an angle, roll 1/4 and cut next piece, etc.) asparagus in 1 1/2 inch (4 cm) lengths.
- Fill large saucepan half full of water and bring to a boil over high heat.
- When boiling, drop in asparagus and parboil for 2 minutes if green, 3 if white.
- Drain and immediately rinse with cold water.
- Prepare greens and put into a large bowl.
- Add a bit of dressing and toss well with tongs to combine. Taste and adjust dressing.
- Arrange on a shallow platter, flat salad bowl or two plates.
- Clean and slice radishes.
- Slice ham/turkey into strips and cheese into rounds.
- Peel and quarter eggs.
- Arrange ham, eggs, asparagus, radishes and cheese nicely on top of greens.
- Drizzle a bit of dressing over all and serve, extra dressing on the side.
- Creamy Herb Dressing
- Whisk together the yogurt, mustard and lemon juice.
- Drizzle in the olive oil, whisking constantly.
- Stir in herbs. This will keep a week in the refrigerator.