Sunflower Shoot Salad with Fennel, Radishes & Hazelnuts
This stellar salad from Food & Wine is beautifully balanced with peppery greens and radishes and sweet pea shoots.
Ingredients:
½ cup hazelnuts
1½ tablespoons Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon honey
¼ teaspoon minced shallot
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups arugula greens
2 cups sunflower shoots
2-3 Pink Beauty radishes, trimmed and very thinly sliced on a mandoline
1 fennel bulb, halved lengthwise, cored and very thinly sliced on a mandoline
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Spread the hazelnuts in a pie plate and toast until they are fragrant and the skins blister, about 14 minutes. Transfer the toasted hazelnuts to a kitchen towel and let cool slightly, then vigorously rub the nuts together to remove the skins. Coarsely chop the nuts.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the Champagne vinegar with the Dijon mustard, honey and minced shallot. Add the extra-virgin olive oil and whisk until blended. Season the vinaigrette with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the arugula, sunflower shoots, radishes, fennel and chopped hazelnuts and toss well. Season with salt and pepper and serve right away.
Fresh & Foraged Recipes
This week’s box sings of both the garden and the forest as it offers up freshly-harvested asparagus, radishes, turnips, fingerling potatoes and more as well as locally-foraged Morel mushrooms, a true Northwest favorite. Enjoy these tastes of springtime alongside freshly-made egg semolina pappardelle pasta, Pain au Levain bread, citrus fruit, and eggs from our heritage breed hens, as well as fragrant garden-grown herbs like tarragon, parsley and chives, and crisp salad greens—it’s all oh-so bright and oh-so fresh.
Here are a few recipe ideas for the week:
Fresh Pappardelle with Sautéed Morel Mushrooms
Also rich with chicken stock and herbs, this pasta beautifully captures the flavors of mellow, earthy Morel mushrooms.
Buttered Radishes with Poached Eggs
Tender radishes and shallots are topped with a silky poached egg for the perfect finish.
Grilled Asparagus with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette
A fresh blend of lemon juice, olive oil and adds big flavor to grilled asparagus stalks.
Balsamic-Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Onions
This flavorful side from California’s Chez Panisse is sure to become a staple in your home.
Roasted Cara Cara Oranges
These gorgeous oranges are a wonderful addition to a cheeseboard; or, remove the rinds and toss into a salad!
Grilled Asparagus with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette
A fresh blend of Meyer lemon juice, olive oil and garlic adds big flavor to grilled asparagus stalks.
Ingredients:
2 pounds asparagus, trimmed
1 garlic clove, minced
Juice of 1 Meyer lemon, plus 2 teaspoons lemon zest
½ cup olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and zest, and garlic. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper, as needed. Set aside.
2. Set a grill cooking grate or basket in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. While the grill is preheating, place asparagus in a large bowl and toss with the tablespoon of olive oil, coating evenly. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add asparagus to grill and cook, turning occasionally, until well charred and tender, about 6 minutes total depending on the thickness of the stalks. Transfer asparagus to a serving platter and drizzle the vinaigrette over the top. Serve immediately.
Variation: Make it a meal by adding flaked smoked salmon and a fried duck egg to each portion of asparagus!
