Spring Vegetable Salad with Asparagus, Peas and Radishes

Chances are you will be celebrating this Memorial Day weekend with some sort of cookout. Whether you plan to grill out or cook in, you need a good fresh salad, made with seasonal ingredients to go with your main dish. This delightful salad makes timely use of the asparagus, snap peas, radishes, and spring lettuces that are in season now at the Market.

Spring Vegetable Salad with Asparagus, Peas and Radishes

adapted from a recipe at Simply Recipes

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning the salad
1/2 cup frozen (defrosted) peas
6 stalks asparagus, tough ends trimmed
15 snap peas, strings stripped off
4 radishes
1 head butter lettuce, washed and torn into large pieces (or other lettuce you like)
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint (or fresh dill, tarragon or a combination), roughly chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons crème fraîche (or sour cream)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Zest from 1/2 lemon
3 tablespoons fresh chives, minced (or scallions/green onions)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

Cut the asparagus and snap peas on a diagonal into very thin slices. You should have about 1 cup of each. Cut the radishes into paper thin slices. Add the asparagus, snap peas, radishes, lettuce, and mint into the bowl with the peas.
Whisk together the crème fraîche, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, chives, mustard, and salt in a small bowl.
Drizzle about two-thirds of the dressing over the salad, toss well. Add more dressing if needed and toss again (you may have some leftover dressing). Taste and season with fresh ground black pepper and salt, if needed. Serve immediately. Makes 4-6 servings.

Suggested Add Ons: