Spring Vegetable and Grain Salad
This recipe tastes like spring in a bowl. It’s full of alliums, herbs, and colorful spring vegetables and dressed in a zingy mustard vinaigrette. It’s a great addition to a barbecue or picnic, and even makes a great breakfast salad- just top it with a jammy egg and enjoy.
Ingredients, serves 4-6
Dressing
6 tablespoons olive oil
1.5 tablespoons spicy mustard
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons minced shallots
Salt
Pepper
Salad
One bunch of red radishes, quartered
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt
Pepper
1 medium bulb of fennel, thinly sliced (save the fronds for garnish!)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1 handful microgreens, baby kale, or baby arugula
1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa
3 cups vegetable stock (optional)
1 cup sliced scallions
Garnish
Chopped herbs (mint, basil, parsley, dill, fennel fronds)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425.
Make the dressing first, allowing shallots to soften in the vinegar. Add all ingredients to a small bowl and mix. Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly.
Toss radishes in olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Spread on a tray and roast for 15 minutes. Flip the radishes and roast again for another 10 min. They are done when they’ve taken on some color and are tender when poked with a fork.
Place thinly sliced fennel in a bowl and add a tablespoon of red wine vinegar and a small pinch of salt. Allow the fennel to slightly pickle for at least 20 minutes while you prepare the rest of the dish.
Measure out 3 cups of stock or water and combine with quinoa in a small pot. Bring to a boil over high heat and then cover, reducing heat to low. Set a timer for 12 minutes, the quinoa will be cooked when it has absorbed all the liquid.
Add the all of the ingredients to a large bowl- the quinoa, fennel, peas, scallions, greens, and the roasted radishes. Add a good pinch of flaky salt and mix the salad.
Portion the salad into bowls, topping with chopped herbs and the dressing. Enjoy.