Fennel and Asparagus Salad

Some people consider "salad" a pile of leafy greens topped with cukes and tomatoes and glopped with dressing. And ok, that's a very American-style salad, but it's just one of many. I consider pretty much anything bound together in a vinegary sauce and eaten cold to be a salad, whether it involves, grains, pasta, or meats in addition to veg and fruit, or even all of the above.

Poke around in your fridge and cupboard to see what you have on hand. I almost guarantee (almost, because you might be one of those people who keeps nothing but beer and yogurt in the fridge and cereal in the cupboard) that you have the makings of a salad.

We always have some sort of veg, and even if we don't have anything fresh, there's always frozen green beans and corn and a can of at least one kind of beans in the cupboard. And I'm a vinegar fanatic, so salad dressings are a snap. Vinegar + mustard + oil + seasonings in any combination you like makes the perfect dressing for you. I also like to add a bit of sweetness to my dressing, particularly if the vinegar I've chosen is very pungent, like the sherry vinegar in this fennel and asparagus salad I made one night when we had both in the fridge and needed something green to go with dinner.

Fennel and Asparagus Salad

1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Pinch garlic powder
Pinch smoked paprika
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 bulb fennel, cored and sliced very thinly
8 spears asparagus, trimmed and sliced thinly on the diagonal
5 chive blossoms

Combine first seven ingredients in a small bowl and beat vigorously with a fork to combine. Put the sliced fennel and asparagus in a bowl, pour over the dressing, and toss well. Tear apart the chive blossoms and add to the bowl. Toss again before serving.

Posted on Minxeats.com.