A salad that showcases Spring’s best

A few weeks ago we went to our friend’s house for dinner. I decided to bring  a salad because I was really craving something fresh, healthy and that represented Spring. I came up with the following and it was delicious!

BFW’s Spring Salad

Mesclun (spring mix) Greens
Fennel, shaved
English Cucmbers, chopped
Red Onion, thinly sliced
Pink Grapefruit, skinned and segmented
Shaved Parmesan Cheese
English Pea Sprouts

Dressing:

Olive Oil
Grapefruit Juice
Meyer Lemon Juice
Shallots
Salt
Pepper

Place mesclun in a large bowl. Top with pea shoots, shaved fennel, cucumber and red onion. Coarsely chop segmented grapefruit (retaining and juice) and add to salad. Sprinkle salad with shaved parmesan and freshly ground sea salt and pepper.

For the dressing, make a classic vinaigrette, but substitute the grapefruit juice and Meyer lemon juice for the vinegar. I didn’t add mustard to my dressing, but I think you could and it would still blend beautifully. Rather, I added some chopped fresh shallots for a little additonal zing. Dress right before eating.

This salad is great paired with any spring dish, such as asparagus risotto, a quiche or even grilled seafood or chicken. The addition of avocado, to make it more of a meal, would be a nice touch as well.