Asparagus Salad with Balsamic Dressing

Nine times out of ten, I prepare fresh asparagus by roasting it in a hot oven, but every now and then I'll do something a little different.  This week I made a colorful salad with a really delicious balsamic dressing.  Truth be known, the dressing is the real star of the show here.  Use it as a dip on a crudite platter. 

Trim and discard the woody ends of the asparagus, then cut the spears into 1 1/2 or 2-inch lengths.

Also needed, sliced almonds and chopped bell peppers.  I used a mix of red, yellow, and orange bell peppers.

The delicious dressing is made of dijon mustard, really good quality balsamic vinegar, dried marjoram, olive oil, granulated garlic, and kosher salt.

Combine the ingredients together with a teeny tiny whisk.  I like things that are teeny tiny.

Okay, time to blanch the asparagus.  To do this, place the asparagus in a pot of boiling salted water for just a few minutes.  They should soften a little, but still retain some crispness, and their color should remain bright green.   

Immediately remove the asparagus from the boiling water and plunge them into ice water to stop the cooking process and lock in that vibrant color.

When the asparagus has cooled completely, drain it well.

Place the drained asparagus on a clean kitchen towel.

Pat the asparagus dry and toss with chopped bell peppers and balsamic dressing. Place on serving platter and sprinkle with sliced almonds.  

Asparagus Salad with Balsamic Dressing

makes 4 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons very good quality balsamic vinegar

• 1 1/2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

• 1/2 tablespoon dijon mustard

• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

• 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic powder

• 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

• 1/2 cup diced bell pepper (red, orange, or yellow)

• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds, optional

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic, olive oil, dijon, marjoram, and garlic powder; set aside.

2. In a large sauce pan, bring 4 cups of water and a healthy pinch of salt to a boil.

3. Cook asparagus pieces for 3-4 minutes until crisp-tender; remove from pan and cool in ice water bath to stop the cooking process.

4. Drain asparagus and pat dry; place on a serving platter and drizzle with balsamic dressing before topping with diced bell peppers and almonds.

Anja's Cucumber Salad

Generally speaking, I'm not a fan of cucumbers, and I find most cucumber salads are much too sweet, but my friend Anja served this straight up savory cucumber salad recently and I had to get the recipe.  When I made a double batch the following day, my husband said he could eat the entire batch himself.  Will definitely be making this one again and again.   

To begin, slice cucumbers very thinly.  I like to use a mandoline to get perfectly uniform slices.  Feel free to peel the skins off if you like, but I like the way they look when they're partially peeled (as shown above).    

By the way, this is my new favorite peeler.  It never jams or gets clogged - the peels fly right out of it like they're being ejected.  Work better than any other peeler I've ever used. 

Next, mix together the ingredients for a quick and creamy dressing.

That was easy - now pour it over the cucumbers and toss well.

Delish!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• my favorite vegetable peeler (for righties only) https://amzn.to/3seZtgX

• mandolin slicer https://amzn.to/3Gl8wSh

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Anja's Cucumber Salad

makes 8 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cucumbers, sliced thin, about 12 ounces (or 16 ounces mini cucumbers)

• 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt or sour cream (we prefer the yogurt)

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Directions

1. Place sliced cucumbers in a large bowl.

2. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; pour over cucumbers and toss well to coat.