Warm Asparagus and Tomato Salad

Difficulty: Easy Servings: 4 Source:

Ingredients

Asparagus and Tomato Salad:

1 pound asparagus, woody ends trimmed, stalks cut into thirds

1/2 pint cherry tomatoes

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste


Cucumber-Radish Salad:

2 mini cucumbers, sliced into rounds

5 red radishes, trimmed and sliced into rounds

1/3 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste


Honey-Dijon Vinaigrette:

Juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon honey

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste


Salad:

4 ounces watercress (or another tender green)

4 ounces fresh mozzarella (bocconcini or torn mozzarella from a larger ball)

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Prepare the Cucumber-Radish Salad:

In a bowl, combine the cucumbers, radishes, and parsley. Drizzle with extra virgin olive and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Prepare the Honey-Dijon Vinaigrette:

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and honey until smooth and creamy. Whisking continuously, slowly pour in the extra virgin olive oil. Continue whisking until the vinaigrette is smooth and creamy and completely emulsified. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Prepare the Warm Asparagus and Tomato Salad:

Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the tomatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the skins begin to blister slightly. Add the asparagus and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes or until the asparagus is bright green and tender-crisp. Do not overcook the asparagus. Turn off the heat.

Dress the Watercress:

In a bowl, combine the watercress with 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil and a scant sprinkle of salt and pepper. Set aside.

To Serve:

Right before serving, whisk the honey-Dijon vinaigrette to ensure it’s emulsified. Divide the watercress between bowls and arrange the bocconcini on top. Pile the cucumber-radish salad on one half of the watercress and the warm asparagus and tomatoes on the other half. Drizzle each bowl with the vinaigrette. Enjoy!