Spring Vegetable Salad Recipe

Ingredients :

Serves 4
Preparation time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 10 minutes

• 200g (7oz) fresh or frozen peas

• 200g (7oz) asparagus, trimmed

• 200g (7oz) sugar snap peas

• 2 courgettes, cut into long, thin ribbons

• 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced

• grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon clear honey

• 1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
  Garlic bread :

• 4 ciabatta rolls, halved

• 1 garlic clove

Method :

1. Put the peas, asparagus and sugar snap peas in a saucepan of salted boiling water and simmer for 3 minutes. Drain, then refresh under cold running water.

2. Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl with the courgette ribbons and fennel and mix together.

3. Whisk together the lemon rind and juice, mustard, honey, parsley and half the oil in a separate bowl. Toss this dressing through the vegetables.

4. Rub the cut sides of the rolls with the garlic clove, drizzle over the remaining oil, then place the rolls on a baking sheet under a pre-heated hot grill and toast on both sides. Serve with the salad.

Variations :

For poached eggs on spicy toasts, remove the crusts from 4 slices multigrain bread. Use 1 tablespoon chili-infused oil to brush each side of the bread and grill as above. Poach 4 eggs in a pan of simmering water with 1 teaspoon vinegar added. Drain, trim and serve on the toasts, with the salad.