Loving the Leaf: Spring Salad {I Heart Cooking Clubs}

You know that trendy ombre deal going around?  Hair.  Cakes.  Clothing.

That's kind of the idea behind this salad.

Look at me all fly and hip.

Umm...with a salad.

A bit more work than I'd normally put into a salad due to blanching the vegetables.  Then shocking them in cold water.  And draining.  (I took many shortcuts here.)  Ottolenghi's Spring Salad is not your last minute toss stuff in a bowl and dress it type of salad.  It's a salad that is the focus of a meal.

The mix of textures and flavors was nice.  The sesame oil in the dressing was unusual for me--although it was appealing.

We ate it alongside the Sweet Potato Cakes I posted last week.  I have to admit that the cakes were the star of the two.  But that didn't stop me from eating the leftover salad for lunch the next day.

Otolenghi's recipe can be found HERE.

I took liberties by using a mix of spinach and the last of the lettuce from my garden. I also added broccoli and used edamame in place of the broad beans (fava).  A few other minor changes took place too.

"Loving the Leaf" is what we're cookin' up at I Heart Cooking Clubs this week.

Check out more leafy Yotam Ottolenghi recipes.

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(If the ingredients in this salad look familiar, I used some of the extras for Roasted Broccoli & Asparagus w/ Nutty, Lemony Feta)

Spring Salad
adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi

1/4 lb green beans, ends trimmed
1/2 bundle of asparagus (5-6 oz), trimmed and sliced in half on an angle
2 small broccoli crowns, split into florets
about 1/2 cup shelled edamame
3 handfuls soft lettuce leaves, torn
4 handfuls baby spinach leaves
pinch of red pepper flakes
½ tsp sesame oil
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted and divided
Salt & black pepper
handful of chopped pecans

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Blanch the vegetables by adding the green beans to the boiling water.  After 1 minute, add the asparagus and broccoli.  Wait 3 minutes, then add the edamame.  Blanch for 2 more minutes, then pour into a colander.  Immediately run cold water over the vegetables to stop the cooking process.  Drain very well while you tear the lettuce and make the dressing.

Whisk together the red pepper flakes, sesame oil, olive oil, and lemon juice.  Add all of the sesame seeds, save for a few pinches.  Season with salt and pepper and whisk again.

Add the spinach, lettuce and blanched vegetables to a large bowl and toss.  Pour the dressing over the top and toss again.  Sprinkle the reserved sesame seeds and chopped pecans over the top.  Serve.