Spring Salad With Charred Asparagus & Creamy Homemade Dressing

Spring Salad

WITH CHARRED ASPARAGUS

AND CREAMY HOMEMADE DRESSING

BY CATHY MCLELLAN

Spring has sprung with fresh asparagus starting to appear in the local markets. This salad is super simple, and you can customize it to meet your tastes and what local ingredients are available to you. Everything is raw, including the dressing, except for the charred asparagus. A meal by itself or a side for any occasion.

The dressing is oil free, dairy free and enjoys the natural sweetness of dates. The taste and texture? Luscious, smooth and decadent, a perfect dressing to enhance a beautiful salad.

Photo by Cathy McLellan

Serves 2-4 Prep Time 30 minutes Cooking time 5-10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

There are two parts to this dish, the salad and the dressing. Both include options, make it your own.

Spring Salad with Charred Asparagus

• 1 large bowl of fresh mixed salad greens • 10 ruby red baby tomatoes, sliced or whole • 4 rings of red onion, diced • 4 tablespoons of fresh pomegranate seeds • 2 teaspoons organic raisins (rinsed and drained) or 3 tablespoons fresh apple, diced • 7-9 whole asparagus stalks, ends removed

Salad Options: Add in fresh fruit, seeds, nuts, other veggies, edible flowers available to you as desired

Creamy Dressing

• ¾ cup plain unflavoured yogurt (Options include subbing yogurt with soaked cashews or white beans) • ¼ cup combined - apple cider vinegar and fresh lemon juice • ¼ cup raw hulled sunflower seeds • 3 pitted and presoaked Medjool dates, drained • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard • ½ teaspoon miso past • 1 clove garlic, peeled • Salt and Pepper to taste (optional)

Dressing Options: Feel free to reduce and increase any of the ingredients. Fresh herbs such as tarragon, dill or squeeze on a bit more lemon.

TIPS:

• Choose organic ingredients whenever possible • Consider some of the options provided to personalize your dish

DIRECTIONS

We will make the salad base, then the dressing and finally saute the asparagus to perfection. Before we get going, grab your favourite bowl or plate or plate for this beautiful salad and a nice container for your dressing.

Prepping the salad base

1. Start with handfuls of the salad greens on the bottom of your chosen dish. Be generous. 2. Add in the diced red onion, rinsed raisins and baby tomatoes. 3. Finally, add the pomegranate seeds, spreading liberally throughout the salad. 4. Set aside your dish

Prepare the dressing

5. Gather all your ingredients for the dressing and place in the blender. Blend slow and then up to high speed to get a super creamy texture. A high speed blender is optional, regular will do. 6. Add salt and pepper to taste, after the dressing is blended.

Time to saute the asparagus

7. Wash asparagus and break off the bottom of each stalk (they can be woody) 8. Place a saute pan on the stove and heat it up to medium high. 9. Add in the asparagus. Turn the asparagus often. 10. Occasionally add a few drops of water to the pan before you get the asparagus too charred. You can add a lid a for a minute or so with the water to help cook the asparagus.

Do not overcook. Saute, add water, the lid, saute again to char. 11. Continue to turn and slowly char each side of the asparagus, cook to your desired texture. My preference is el dente (helps to maintain a bit of crunch and the bright green colour).

Putting it all together

12. When the asparagus is cooked to your liking and has a bit of char on each side, remove the stalks from the pan and place on top of the prepared salad. I like to stack mine for a bit of show.

13. Serve with dressing on the side.