Lemony Green Bean Asparagus Salad
This bright Lemony Green Bean Asparagus Salad is a delicious accompaniment to any main course. It’s fresh flavor and lovely color will make you want to serve it often. It can also be made ahead so it’s the perfect thing to bring to a picnic or barbecue!
Begin by bringing a large pot of water to a boil. While you’re doing that, also prepare an ice bath (big bowl of water with lots of ice cubes in it) and put a sieve or colander into the sink.
When the water is boiling, add all of the vegetables and parboil for 1 minutes. Drain the veggies in the sieve and immediately plunge the colander into the ice bath. Shake it around until the veggies are no longer warm. Drain the vegetables and turn them out onto a dry, clean kitchen towel. If you are making this ahead of time, transfer the veggies to a paper towel-lined ziplock bag and store in the fridge.
Make the walnut/panko topping by heating butter and olive oil in a skillet. Then add the chopped walnuts. Stir until the walnuts are nicely browned and then add the panko and salt. Sir for another few minutes until the panko is medium brown. Remove from the heat, add the lemon zest and crushed red pepper and set aside to cool. If you’re making this ahead, store in an airtight container once the topping has cooled completely.
Combine the lemon juice, lemon zest and garlic together to make the dressing. Drizzle the oil in and stir vigorously with a whisk or fork. Add salt and pepper.
To finish the salad, pour the dressing into a large bowl and add the drained vegetables. Toss to coat. Add chopped mint and toss well.
Sprinkle the salad with the panko mixture and top with the shaved parmesan cheese. Garnish with scallions and more mint.
Share Your Thoughts...
Lemony Green Bean Asparagus Salad
Makes: 8 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
For the Veggies:
- 8 ounces French green beans (haricot verts) or small regular green beans, sliced on a long diagonal angle into bite-size pieces
- 8 ounces fresh asparagus, sliced very thinly on a long diagonal angle
- 8 ounces fresh sugar snap peas, sliced diagonally in half
- 1 cup baby, tiny frozen peas, more to taste
For the Walnut/Panko Topping:
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
- 1/2-3/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper, more to taste
- finely grated zest from 1 medium-size lemon
For the Dressing:
- finely grated zest of 1 medium-size lemon
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 medium garlic clove, finely minced
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
To Finish the Salad:
- walnut/panko topping, recipe above
- 1/2-3/4 cup shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, more to taste
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh mint leaves (basil is a good substitute)
- 6-8 scallions (green onions), trimmed and sliced thinly on a long diagonal
- fresh mint leaves for garnish
Instructions
For the Veggies:
Bring a large pot of water (2/3 full) to a boil over high heat. While the water is coming to a boil, fill a large bowl with water and add 3-4 cups of crushed ice or ice cubes. This is called an ice bath. Set aside. Set a large strainer (sieve) in your sink.
When the water is nicely boiling, add the vegetables and set a timer for 1 minute. Drain in the prepared sieve. Transfer cooked vegetables to the ice bath. Let sit for a minute or two, until no longer warm and drain. Shake the sieve a few times to remove any excess water then turn the drained veggies out onto a clean, dry kitchen towel and roll the towel around them. (If you are prepping ahead of time, the veggies can be transferred to a paper towel-lined storage container or large ziplock bag and refrigerated.)
For the Walnut/Panko Topping:
Heat a medium-size nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Add the butter and olive oil. When the mixture is starting to sizzle a bit, add the walnuts. Stir frequently for 2-3 minutes or until the walnuts are beginning to deep in color. Add the panko crumbs and salt and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently until medium golden brown.
Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest and crushed red pepper. Set aside to cool a bit. (If prepping ahead, allow the topping to cool completely then store in an airtight container.)
For the Dressing:
Combine the lemon juice, lemon zest and garlic in a large serving bowl. Drizzle in the olive oil while stirring vigorously with a fork or a whisk. Add the salt and pepper and stir again.
To Finish the Salad:
Add the drained veggies and toss to coat with the dressing. Taste and add more lemon juice and/or salt, and pepper, if needed.
Add the chopped mint and toss well. Taste again and adjust, if needed.
Either sprinkle the salad with the panko mixture and top with the shaved parmesan or serve the toppings separately at the table (a good idea if you think you’ll have leftovers). Garnish with the scallions and more fresh mint (whole leaves). Serve and enjoy!
Recipe by The Cafe Sucre Farine
Leave a Review