Featured Recipe
Green Veg Salad with Roasted Shallots
By Kate
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A green vegetable salad featuring asparagus, fine green beans, and endive dressed with a sweet-tart vinaigrette of roasted shallots. Yogurt blended with dried tarragon adds creaminess beneath the salad, while toasted sliced hazelnuts replace almonds for nuttiness. Tarragon adds depth to the dressing and yogurt, interacting with the crisp watercress and peppery endive. Asparagus and beans blanched until tender-crisp retain snap, then shocked in ice water to fix color and stop cooking. Balanced acidity from cider vinegar, and the tender-sharp roasted shallots rounds out the layers of flavor.
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Prep:
25 min
Cook:
20 min
Total:
45 min
Serves:
4 servings
salad
vegan
healthy
French cuisine
quick meal
Introduction
Green vegetable salads always need sharp contrast. Long thin beans paired with asparagus snap, but that basic crunch needs lift. Endive’s bitterness, peppery watercress also punch through the creaminess of yogurt. Yogurt, not mayo — this keeps it light, tangy, and fresh. Tarragon’s a subtle aromatic herb; dried has a different edge, so adding it in both yogurt and vinaigrette maximizes aroma. Roasting shallots in oil until deeply brown releases intense flavor. Sweetness from honey balances acidity from cider vinegar. Toasted hazelnuts instead of almonds add a deeper, earthier crunch with buttery richness. Blanch vegetables carefully to preserve color and texture, shock in ice water fast enough before muffling that crunch. A good salad can be fragile; timing critical — overcooked leads to dullness, underdone makes tough eating. No fancy gadgets needed; just good knife skills and an eye for visual cues.
Ingredients
Vinaigrette
- 3 small shallots, finely chopped
- 70 ml olive oil (5 tbsp)
- 25 ml apple cider vinegar (1 tbsp + 2 tsp)
- 3 ml honey (1/2 tsp, substitute sugar)
- 200 ml plain Greek yogurt
- 8 ml dried tarragon (1 tsp)
- 400 g asparagus, trimmed
- 300 g slender green beans, trimmed
- 1 Belgian endive, thinly sliced into wedges
- 30 g watercress
- 30 g sliced toasted hazelnuts
Salad
About the ingredients
Shallots release sugar when roasted slowly in oil — don’t rush this step or risk raw onion tang. Olive oil can be replaced with walnut or avocado oil for different flavor notes; stick to oils that do not overpower. Honey substitutes sugar perfectly here, adds mellow sweetness and slight viscosity which helps vinaigrette cling better to veg; maple syrup works but flavor will shift. Asparagus quality is key — fresh snapping stalks with tips tightly closed. If asparagus unavailable, substitute blanched broccolini or tender young zucchini ribbons. Green beans should be thin and fresh — thick beans get fibrous fast and ruin texture. Tarragon dried is more potent than fresh; if fresh is your only option, use double quantity but add gradually. Yogurt preferably thick Greek style; thinner yogurts make dressing runnier. Watercress is peppery but delicate; if unavailable, arugula or young spinach leaves offer a similar bite. Hazelnuts far better toasted than raw — flavor blooms and texture crunches. Sub almonds with toasted pistachios for a green splash and different earthiness.
Method
Vinaigrette
- Heat the chopped shallots gently in olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Listen for a steady sizzle. Stir constantly so they brown evenly without burning—aim for golden deep caramel color, about 7 minutes. Burnt bits are bitter, so watch closely.
- Remove from heat. Stir in apple cider vinegar and honey. Return to medium heat just to bring the mixture to a bare simmer—10 seconds tops; bubbles forming and breaking rapidly but no boiling full-on. Remove immediately, cool briefly to warm but not hot. Season well with salt and pepper.
- Combine yogurt and dried tarragon in a bowl. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside. Tarragon's aroma melds best resting while vegetables cook.
- Fill a large pot with salted water, bring to rolling boil. Blanch asparagus spears until bright green and just tender when pierced with knife tip—about 2 to 3 minutes. Timing depends on thickness—thinner use less, thicker a little more. Immediately plunge into bowl of ice water to halt cooking and retain vibrant color and snap. Drain and pat dry. Chop spears into three sections each.
- Repeat process with green beans—blanch 3 to 4 minutes until tender but crisp. Shock, drain, and dry.
- Mix asparagus and green beans. Toss with half the vinaigrette. Season lightly with salt and pepper and mix gently but thoroughly so vinaigrette coats evenly. Let marinate 5 minutes minimum to bloom flavors.
- Arrange dollops of the tarragon yogurt in the center of each plate or salad bowl, spreading thinly like a canvas.
- Pile dressed green beans and asparagus atop yogurt, scatter sliced endive wedges and watercress evenly. Drizzle remaining vinaigrette over everything in quick zigzags.
- Finish by sprinkling toasted hazelnuts on top for crunch and earthy depth.
- Serve immediately. Salad is best fresh to preserve crispness.
Salad
Technique Tips
Roasting shallots requires patience — low to medium heat, constant stirring, watch carefully for even deep golden color. If oil smokes, pan too hot; reduce heat. Vinegar added while still hot changes oils and sugar in oil for a light glaze. Yogurt and tarragon base provides tang and herbaceous aroma; adding salt here crucial to balance bitterness from greens. Blanch veggies one batch at a time in plenty of boiling salted water, timing based on thickness; test with fork tip for tender-crisp stage. Shock cold water bath stops cooking immediately, key to maintain color and texture. Mistake often is over-blanching — you want snap, not mush. Tossing vegetables gently with half vinaigrette ensures even coating without bruising greens. Allow marination briefly so acid softens surface but does not wilt. Spread yogurt first on plate to avoid dripping vinaigrette on bare plate later; it catches juices and adds visual contrast. Final drizzle of vinaigrette sharpens flavors and adds gloss. Scatter toasted nuts last to preserve crunch. Serve quickly — greens wilt with time and dressing so salad should be consumed within a couple hours at most. Good knives, sharp tongs, and fast hands helpful here.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Shallots need low heat gradually for caramelization. Constant stirring is crucial. Want that deep brown, but avoid burning. Use a balance of patience and a watchful eye.
- 💡 Yogurt's tanginess and tarragon’s aroma require proper seasoning. Too little salt makes greens overpowering. Season yogurt lightly; let flavors mingle. It’s about balancing bitterness.
- 💡 Blanching vegetables quick but controlled — aim for tender-crisp. Ice bath immediately after halting cooking. Drain well. Pat dry to avoid waterlogging your salad.
- 💡 Toasting hazelnuts takes minutes. Watch carefully to avoid bitterness. Raw nuts won’t provide same punch. If hazelnuts unavailable, think toasted pistachios for different crunch.
- 💡 For vinaigrette, a simmer is key. Don’t boil. Just a bare simmer. Mix ingredients while warm to meld flavors well. Honey can be swapped for sugar, maple syrup too.
Kitchen Wisdom
What if shallots burn?
Start over. Adjust heat if smoking happens. Medium-low is generally best. Stir often, should be golden, not brown.
What to do with overcooked veggies?
Crunch is gone, mushy results. Maybe puree for soup? Keep it simple, season well.
How can I store leftover salad?
Use airtight container but expect wilted greens. Best to keep dressing separate. Max 2 days in fridge. Needs eating quick.
Need alternatives for hazelnuts?
Consider toasted almonds or seeds. They work fine. Just realize texture and flavor shift a bit. Choose what you like.
