Spring Salad With Bagna Cauda Dressing
Bagna cauda is a traditional Italian sauce that prominently features anchovy and garlic, often used as a dip for raw vegetables. Here it dresses a fresh spring salad. Use the quantities given and suggested vegetables as a guide, choosing whatever crisp offerings are available. Serve with a crusty baguette or hearth-baked loaf.
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- 8anchovy fillets
- 4garlic cloves
- ½cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½cup crème fraîche
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 3tablespoons lemon juice, more to taste
- 2cups baby arugula
- 2cups baby spinach
- 2Belgian endives, leaves separated
- 4radishes, very thinly sliced
- 1small fennel bulb, very thinly sliced
- 1medium yellow beet, very thinly sliced
- 2pale inner celery stalks, with leaves, very thinly sliced
- 12small asparagus spears, blanched 1 minute and cooled, or raw if preferred
- 4large eggs, boiled 8 minutes and cooled, halved or quartered
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Step 1
Make the dressing: Chop the anchovies and garlic to a rough paste, or pound together in a mortar. Place in a small saucepan, add olive oil and simmer over medium heat, without browning, for 2 minutes, until anchovies have dissolved. Transfer to a small bowl and whisk in crème fraîche, lemon zest and lemon juice. Set aside to cool.Step 2
Arrange all the vegetables artfully on a large platter and garnish with eggs. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.Step 3
Drizzle 4 tablespoons of the dressing over the salad and serve. Pass the remaining dressing at the table.