I got the inspiration for this salad when visited the farmers’ market in Auckland. With this spring zingy salad, you’ll celebrate the best of the season while enjoying the fresh ingredients.
White asparagus has a more delicate flavor than green. While green asparagus is a bit grassy, white asparagus is sweeter and has just a hint of bitterness. This delicate flavor is perhaps why it’s so prized in Europe. The difference between green and white asparagus is that white asparagus is grown underground. As the spears of white asparagus grow, they’re completely covered with a thick mound of dirt or black plastic so they’re never exposed to the sunlight. This prevents them from producing chlorophyll, the green-tinted molecule that’s responsible for turning sunlight into energy.
Chioggia beet, also known as the candy cane or candy stripe beet, hails from Northern Italy and became popular in the 19th century. It’s most notable for its striking deep pink and white spirals, and the beet adds a beautiful pop of color to salads and soups.
Though the candy stripe beet can be prepared much like any other beet, the Chioggia has an especially sweet flavor—and it doesn’t ‘bleed’ as much as regular beets, meaning you don’t have to worry about bright red beet juice staining your fingers and clothes.
Tangelo, a cross between a grapefruit and tangerine, is a truly unique fruit. The first recorded example of a tangelo tree was grown in the late 19th century in the United States (California). The fruit looks and peels like a mandarin but has slightly more acid tartness thanks to the grapefruit. I love this fruit for its extraordinary freshness. Tangelo is a great addition to a light salad.
Sorrel is a bright leafy herb with a distinctively tart, almost lemony flavor. Widely used in French cuisine. Sorrel perfectly combines with other leafy greens in a salad mix.
Ingredients
2 Serves
- 3 Small beetroots (I used Chioggia beetroot), peeled and finely sliced
- Bunch of asparagus (I used white asparagus), hard parts removed
- Two big handfuls of mesclun salad mix
- Bunch of sorrel (I used Red Veined Sorrel)
- 1/2 Cup of walnuts
- 1/2 Cup feta crumbs
- 1/2 Tangelo (or orange)
For dressing:
- 1 Tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 Tsp Maple syrup
- 1 Tsp Apple cider vinegar
- Juice of half tangelo (or orange)
- 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Black pepper
- Sea salt
Of course, you can use the usual beets and asparagus. But you definitely need to try delicious white asparagus and Chioggia beetroot.
Directions
- Peel the beetroot and cut into thin slices, preferably using mandoline or sharp knife. Cut asparagus stems into 3 parts.
- Put beetroot slices into a steamer or colander set over a pan of boiling water. Cover with a lid and steam for 3-5 mins or until crisp-tender. Add asparagus. Сook for another two minutes. Unfortunately, it is difficult to save the beautiful color on Chioggia beets, so do not overcook it. Drizzle beets with little apple cider vinegar, It helps to prevent the color from darkening. Don`t allow to overdo the vegetables. It`s very important to keep color and vitamins.
- For the dressing. Mix all ingredients in the bowl using the whisk.
- Spread leafy greens on a serving dish. Top with beet slices and asparagus. Drizzle with citrus dressing. Sprinkle with walnuts and feta crumbs. Garnish with slices of tangelo.
Tips:
- How to break off woody ends of asparagus. If you hold the asparagus near the end with two hands and bend it until it snaps, it should break right at the correct place.
- Add to a salad dressing a tiny pinch of salt. Feta cheese already contains salt.
The recipe was taken from my E-book “10 Quick and Easy Delicious Salads”.
In this book you can find some tricks, that can help to turn a simple vegetable salad into delicious nutritious lunch or even dinner. Salads are girl`s best friends!
The book is free for all my Subscribers. You can get it from here:
