Hop into spring with a Garbanzo, Asparagus and Red Potato Salad

With the first bloom of spring, I find myself longing for fresh asparagus and other early-season produce. My latest trip down to California had me eyeing the closed strawberry stands around the town where my mother lives — I knew they would be opening soon because the ripe strawberries in the fields surrounding them were visible from the road. The farms around these stands are usually around 10 acres in size, family-owned and operated. Along with the delicious vine-ripened strawberries, you can usually find fresh green peas, fava beans or bok choy.

I had been stalking these stands, just waiting for one of them to open. I was driving back from an errand when I spied some activity at one of them. The closed sign had been turned to open, and I made a U-turn right into the field by the stand. Not only did I score a flat of beautiful strawberries, I also bought fresh peas in the shell.

I had in mind a salad akin to a Nicoise salad, which would be a perfect accompaniment to an Easter dinner. If you have any salad leftover after serving this at Easter, add some hard-boiled Easter eggs to it for a great lunch or light dinner.

Ingredients

4 medium red potatoes, around 1 1/4 pounds
2 1/2 cups cooked garbanzos, drained
2 bunches asparagus (about 24 ounces), ends trimmed
1 cup fresh shelled peas (or frozen peas), uncooked
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
Olive oil

Dressing

3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
5 Tbsp white wine vinegar
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Wash and trim asparagus and potatoes.

Cut up potatoes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put potatoes in a medium bowl and drizzle just enough olive oil to coat them. Toss the potatoes with the olive oil and spread on a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until the potatoes are tender, but still firm, about 30 minutes.

Place trimmed asparagus in a saucepan with boiling, salted water. Cook until the asparagus is bright green. Immediately drain and put in a bowl with cold water and ice to stop the asparagus from cooking further. Remove asparagus from water water when cool and let dry.

Cook sliced onions and a little olive oil in small sauté pan until slightly caramelized. Set aside.

Drain the garbanzos and wash the peas.

Put asparagus, garbanzos, peas, potatoes and onion on a platter. If you want to add hard-boiled eggs, add them at this time.

Make salad dressing by combining the minced garlic, Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar olive oil and parsley.

Drizzle the dressing over vegetables on platter. Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve.

Serves 8

Approximate nutritional value per serving: Calories 335.4, Total Fat 20.5g, Saturated Fat 2.7g, Polyunsaturated Fat 2.8g, Monounsaturated Fat 13.3g, Dietary Fiber 8.1g, Protein 9.1g.