Vegetable Salad with Herbal Vinaigrette
Submitted by blue light.com
Vegetable salad with herbal vinaigrette: blanched asparagus, carrots, and sugar snap peas tossed with plum tomatoes and a mustardy lemon-garlic dressing. A bright, crisp springtime side.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
15 minREADY
40 minSpring on a plate, leaning heavily on the technique of precise blanching. Each vegetable gets its own timed blanch: asparagus for 3 minutes, carrots and sugar snap peas for 2. That difference matters. Overcook the snap peas for 3 minutes and they slump sad and gray; undercook the asparagus at 2 and it’s still fibrous at the core.
The ice bath is non-negotiable. Shocking blanched vegetables in cold water stops the carryover cooking instantly and locks in vivid green and orange colors. Without it, vegetables sitting in residual heat turn drab within minutes.
The vinaigrette builds in the blender for a perfectly emulsified, creamy-looking dressing. Garlic, Dijon, lemon juice and rice vinegar whirl first, then olive oil streams in slowly to emulsify. Dijon acts as an emulsifier, stabilizing the mixture so it coats the vegetables evenly rather than pooling at the bottom.
Kitchen Tips
- Use a mix of soft herbs like tarragon, chives, chervil, or parsley for brightness, hard herbs like rosemary overpower.
- Dress right before serving so the acid doesn’t dull the greens.
- Pat the blanched vegetables genuinely dry, water dilutes the vinaigrette.
- Use the freshest asparagus you can find, stalks should snap crisply, not bend.
Variations
- Add blanched green beans or edamame for an extra green element.
- Crumble feta or goat cheese on top just before serving.
- Toss in grilled chicken or shrimp for a protein-forward lunch salad.
Ingredients
Directions
Cut the asparagus on the diagonal into 1½-inch pieces. Cut the carrots on the diagonal into ¼ inch pieces.
Fill a bowl with ice water. Bring a pan of water to the boil. Add the asparagus and time 3 minutes, starting the time as soon as the vegetable goes into the water.
With a wire or slotted spoon remove the vegetables to the bowl of ice water and bring a pan of water back to a boil.
Add the carrots and peas; time 2 minutes.
Drain and plunge the vegetables into the ice water.
When the vegetables have cooled, drain and wrap in paper Put into a plastic bag and refrigerate. In a blender or small food processor combine the garlic, Slowly add the oil, blending until emulsified. Add the salt, pepper and herbs. When read to serve, combine the asparagus, carrots and peas with the tomatoes. Pour the dressing over the vegetables, stirring until well coated.
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