Recipes - A Minnesota Culinary Fantasy: Spring Salads

Lettuce salads are always good, but for a change of pace, how about trying some salads that make use of other early spring vegetables?

Here's one using asparagus, that quintessential sign of spring. Combine with other vegetables, in a beautiful mixture.

• 11/2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into one inch pieces
• 2 medium tomatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 8-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and cut into bite sized pieces
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon or one tablespoon fresh
• dashes salt, pepper, and granulated sugar

1. Steam asparagus until tender (5-10 minutes). Rinse in cold water and drain well.
2. Toss together all the vegetables in a salad bowl.
3. Whisk together all the dressing ingredients.
4. Pour over the vegetables and serve at room temperature.

I always plant radishes in my garden to soothe my impatience. Those radish shoots pop up really fast and fill in areas of the vegetable garden that otherwise would get infested by weeds. Here, radishes perk up a potato salad.

• 2 pounds new potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 large sprig rosemary
• 20 radishes (about 2 bunches), washed and sliced
• 1 bunch scallions
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• dash pepper

1. Cook potatoes, along with salt, bay leaves, and rosemary in enough water to cover, until tender but not falling apart.
2. Run potatoes under cold water and chill. Combine in a bowl with radishes and scallions.
3. Meanwhile, make dressing with vinegar, oil, mustard, and pepper.
4. Toss vegetable mixture with dressing.

It's probably a little too early for sugar snap peas but they are probably already appearing in the market from warmer climes. In my mind, sugar snap peas are the best possible offering from the pea world - sweeter and more flavorful than snow peas, but crisper and fresher tasting than the standard English pea.

• 8 ounces sugar snap peas, strings removed, cut in half
• 2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
• 4 scallions, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, drained and sliced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 4 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• Bibb lettuce
• Toasted sliced almonds

1. Heat oil in wok or large skillet until hot. Add peas, scallions, red pepper, water chestnuts and garlic, and stir-fry until vegetables are crisp-tender.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients except lettuce and almonds and cook for one minute more.
3. Serve warm on lettuce; sprinkle with almonds.