It's time to officially welcome summer and I can think of no better way to do that than to make your way to your closest farmers' market, farm stand, or fresh grocer to put together a fantastic salad made of and for the season. Packed with fresh cheese (in WI, we are fortunate enough to have access to so much freshly made quality cheese - you can opt for something that brings you joy, even if the maker is not the one selling it to you directly), farm fresh eggs, and so very much seasonal produce, this salad is going to bring you joy.
Labneh is a yogurt-derived soft cheese that's lactose free and reminiscent of cream cheese. Fresh ricotta or whipped goat cheese are both lactose-laden alternatives you can enjoy or you can skip the dairy step entirely if you prefer. I love a soft boiled jammy egg, but you can boil your eggs for 10 minutes for a firmer boiled egg if that is your thing. The mix of greens I used is merely an illustration. Keep them super fresh, in season, and well cleaned and you can't go wrong. You can skip the mushrooms by either increasing the amount of asparagus or adding a bit of coarsely chopped red pepper to the skillet instead.
I like to toast some lovely bread for sopping up the soft egg and creamy labneh, ricotta, or goat cheese and pour a glass of fresh lemonade, lightly sweetened iced tea or a chilled glass of white wine to round this meal out. Then have a seat and enjoy the seasonal treat!
Farmers' Market Salad
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons bottled mango chutney
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- ¼ teaspoon powdered ginger
- ¼ teaspoon powdered garlic
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound thin to medium asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-2" pieces
- 10 ounces baby bella or other mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh chives, divided
- 8 ounces mixed tender greens - I used a combination of overwintered spinach, watercress, baby arugula, and sorrel
- Labneh, ricotta, or whipped goat cheese, for serving
- Crushed red pepper, seasoning blends, etc., for garnish
Mix all of the dressing ingredients (mayonnaise through turmeric) together and refrigerate while preparing the rest of the salad.
Fill a large bowl with ice water; set aside. Bring enough water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high to boil 4 eggs. Carefully add the whole eggs; cook them for 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to the ice water in the bowl.
Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus and mushrooms to the hot oil and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are browned and tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, add about 2 tablespoons of the chopped chives to the skillet, stir, and cool while you work on the rest of the salad.
Spread labneh, ricotta, or whipped goat cheese along about a quarter of the bottom of each of 4 main course serving bowls; set aside.
Toss together the remaining chives with the salad greens and portion evenly among the 4 main course serving bowls. Add the sautéed vegetables to the top of the greens. Remove the eggs from the ice water and peel; carefully cut in half lengthwise. Top the salad with the jammy eggs and garnish with crushed red pepper, a seasoning blend of your choice, or similar sprinkle. Drizzle generously with the chilled dressing, saving any remaining dressing in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- Yields: 4 main dish salads
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes