Tasty Tuesdays: Asparagus and Spring Greens Salad with Gorgonzola Vinaigrette

Have you seen the latest Cooking Light issue?  Oh goodness, it is filled with the most wonderful spring recipes!  One of my favorite aspects of spring is the abundance of vegetables perfect for a light but flavor packed dinner.  In just three days, as tax season comes to a close, I will be getting off of work in enough time to head to our neighborhood's farmer's market where I'll pick up fabulously fresh fruits and vegetables grown minutes from our house.  One of my favorite things about living in Beaufort is our proximity to family farms that provide the locavore community here with a wealth of produce to choose from.  

This recipe was my favorite one in the issue.  I love the mix of white and green asparagus.  Add a bit of gorgonzola - heaven!  It's such a colorful dish that has a ton of plate appeal.  I imagine serving this dish at an al fresco dinner party on a beautiful table accented in white linens that are set aglow with tea lights.  Maybe one just like this featured here...

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

Ingredients

• 1  pound  green and white asparagus, trimmed and cut into (2-inch) pieces
• 2 1/4  teaspoons  salt, divided
• 2  tablespoons  minced shallots
• 2  tablespoons  white balsamic vinegar
• 2  tablespoons  extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2  teaspoon  grated lemon rind
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, divided
• 1  (5-ounce) package mixed salad greens

Preparation

1. Cook asparagus and 2 teaspoons salt in boiling water 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and rinse asparagus under cold water; drain.

2. Combine remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, shallots, and next 4 ingredients (through pepper) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in 1/4 cup cheese.

3. Combine asparagus and greens in a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

77

Fat:

5.5g (sat 1.8g,mono 3g,poly 0.5g)

Protein:

3.1g

Carbohydrate:

4g

Fiber:

1.6g