Summer Market Salad

It is hot, so hot. The air is still and humid, and we are the sun’s own toast. Tiny green dots of fireflies are lighting up the nights. In other words, summer.
All I want to be eating right now is mainly gazpacho, freezing cold smoothies, and, of course, salads. Refreshing and vibrant ones with minimal, light dressing and any of the vitamin-rich produce of the summer bounty. To me, salads are a spontaneous type of dish, usually inspired by whatever fresh produce I bring home from the market.
This particular salad was made with produce from the Union Square greenmarket during my recent trip to NYC. In case you haven’t been, it is the market of all markets, where everything is possible and where you can find all the fruit and vegetables you’ve ever dreamt of. Nettles? Pea shoot flowers? Fava? Chive blossoms? Stone fruit, berries, tomatoes, all colours of eggplants and zucchini, all varieties of greens – it’s all there. In this salad, I combined raw and lightly blanched crunchy vegetables with a creamy miso-mustard dressing to make a bright summer meal. Enjoy and stay cool.
In other news, an interview with me on The Raw Book, a beautiful website full of inspiring interviews.

Summer Market Salad
Note: Feel free to substitute according to what’s available to you at the moment. Sugar snaps, snow peas, corn kernels, young green beans, and shelled edamame are some other great summer alternatives.

for the dressing
3 tablespoons miso paste – I use unpasteurized chickpea miso
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil

for the salad
1 bunch asparagus
1 cup shelled fava beans or peas or mixture of both
handful of fiddleheads – optional
2-3 carrorts – shaved with a vegetable peeler
4 radishes – sliced
2 green onions – sliced
handful of pea shoots
2 cups of baby greens
handful of microgreens

to make the dressing
1. Mix the miso paste, honey and mustard to combine thoroughly.
2. Add in the rest of the ingredients, combine and set aside.

to make the salad
1. Remove the tough ends from asparagus. Blanch it, along with the fava beans and/or peas in a large amount of well salted water for 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to an ice water bath to stop the cooking.
2. In the same water, blanch the fiddle heads for 5 minutes and add them into the ice water as well.
3. Once the vegetables are cool, drain them over a colander and pat dry with a paper or dish towel. Gently squeeze each fava bean between your fingers to pop the bean out of its outer skin.
4. Arrange the asparagus on a salad platter and lightly drizzle with the dressing. In a bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients, with the exception of microgreens, and pour the dressing over them. Gently toss to coat. Pile the mixture over the asparagus and garnish with microgreens.