This season has been so strange. The weather is erratic as ever which is making it feel neither like Spring nor Summer. Despite the consistent gloom, the Spring produce is finally rampant and my fridge is filled with green. I'm loving lighter salads with fresh green vegetables and tons of herbs & flavorful greens. This sauce, from Taste & Technique, is something I've been riffing on for months now, and putting on pretty much everything. It tastes like Spring to me (tarragon!) and I throw some radishes in, just for fun, since I always seem to have them in excess. Dreaming of more sunshine and temperate weather before the Summer heat hits..
Spring Green Salad with Favas, Toasted Walnuts & Parsley Sauce Verte (Serves 2-4) Gluten-free
*If you've never shelled fava beans, don't be scared. They actually aren't as exhausting as they look, and I find the process super meditative. Much like chopping vegetables or herbs (like this parsley sauce verte), I find those manual exercises super calming. You'll probably have leftover dressing, so I suggest you put it on everything - I love it on avocado toast, soft boiled eggs, salads, roasted vegetables, etc. The options are endless and it will keep in the fridge, flavors melding over time, for about 5ish days.
- 1lb. fava beans, shelled
- 4 large handfuls of greens (I used a mix of baby kale, wild baby arugula and micro herbs)
- 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
- 4 oz. tangy feta, crumbled
Parsley Sauce Verte (adapted from Taste & Technique)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
- 2 tablespoons minced chives
- 2 teaspoon minced tarragon
- 2 radishes, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
- 1-2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt to taste (about a scant teaspoon)
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
Bring a large (salted) pot of water to a boil. Prep a mixing bowl with ice water & set aside. Once water has come to a boil, blanch fava beans for exactly 1 minute, strain & add to ice bath and set aside. Once both have cooled to the touch, strain and set aside.
Peel fava beans: Use your nail to puncture the pod, then remove the opaque outer skin to reveal bright green fava bean. Continue until all fava beans are shelled.
For parsley sauce verte: make sure to chop all herbs/ingredients by hand (not a food processor!) - it makes a huge difference in the freshness & overall flavor of this sauce. Add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk together until well-combined. Season to taste and set aside.
Add greens to a large bowl, assemble with fava beans, walnuts, and feta cheese. Add a few spoonfuls of parsley sauce then toss well with your hands, to make sure every leaf is coated. Salt to taste & season with freshly ground pepper. Serve immediately.
