Still Life: Spring Vegetable Salad

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* Exported from MasterCook *

 

Spring Vegetable Salad

 

Recipe By : Still Life with Menu (1994), Mollie Katzen, page 13

Serving Size : 5 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : Potatoes Salads, Vegetable

Vegetables

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

1/4 pound baby carrots

1/2 pound fresh green beans

as slender as possible

1/2 pound snow peas

8 small red potatoes -- up to 10

1 small head cauliflower

1 small yellow summer squash -- (1 to 2)

1/2 pound asparagus

pencil thin -- if possible

2 medium garlic cloves -- minced, up to 3

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

lots of black pepper

4 tablespoons mayonnaise -- (optional), up to 5

(see separate recipes)

1 small hand finely minced fresh basil

fresh tarragon

fresh marjoram

fresh dill

and fresh chives

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

 

PREPARATION TIME: ABOUT 45 MINUTES, PLUS TIME TO CHILL. YIELD: 5 TO 6

SERVINGS.

 

The ideal vegetables for this salad are the thinnest, youngest, most

angelic: miniature squash, baby carrots, slender green beans, flat snow

peas, pencil-thin asparagus, etc. But if you can't find such perfection in

your produce store, buy what you can and make the salad anyway. It will

still be good.

 

Also, feel free to substitute other vegetables according to their

availability and your own taste.

 

The salad can be assembled a day in advance. Just hold off on adding the

lemon juice until shortly before serving. (If the vegetables sit too long

in an acidic substance, their colors will fade.)

 

NOTE: The weights of the vegetables are approximate. If you can't get all

the different types of fresh herbs, use whatever you can find, or

substitute dried.

 

1. Prepare the vegetables: trim both ends of the carrots, green beans, and

snow peas. If desired, cut them in half. Or leave them whole. Halve the

potatoes, separate the cauliflower into 1-inch pieces, and slice the

squash. Snap off and discard the coarse lower ends of the asparagus. Cut

off the tips, and slice the middle parts into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Group the

vegetables as follows:

 

* potatoes

 

* carrots, cauliflower, asparagus middles, green beans

 

* snow peas, asparagus tips, squash slices

 

2. Steam the potatoes until just tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. While

potatoes are cooking, place the garlic and olive oil in a large bowl. When

the potatoes are done, transfer them-still hot-to the bowlful of garlic and

oil.

 

3. Steam the next group of vegetables until just tender, for about 10 to

15 minutes. Refresh under cold water immediately upon removing from

heat. Drain well and transfer to the bowl. Repeat with the last group of

vegetables, which will take about 5 minutes to cook. Mix gently but

thoroughly.

 

4. Add remaining ingredients, except for the lemon juice, and stir

again. Cover tightly and chill until very cold.

 

5. Stir in the lemon juice within about 15 minutes of serving time.

 

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