In the Kitchen: Spring Greens Salad with Biscotti Croutons

In the kitchen today, we welcome Kathleen Bellicchi from Bellicchi’s Classic Biscotti, making a Spring Greens Salad with Biscotti Croutons. This is an elegant and eye appealing composed salad, lightly dressed to coax the max flavor out of each ingredient. Biscotti is tossed on top after dressing salad. To make the salad a main course, there are three options for serving – Parmesan curls, tiny Feta cubes, or a soft ripe cheese served aside the salad.

Kathleen also made a Dandelion and Arugula Egg Salad. In this salad, the lightly bitter dandelion is a blood cleanser – what we all need after sedentary winter to invigorate/wake up our bodies for Spring. A staple in many Italian households – this salad heralds spring. 

Ingredients and Directions for Spring Green Salad:

• 1 head buttery lettuce
• 1 small head Romaine
• 2 cups Snap Peas – steam 2 mins – spread on plate and place in refrigerate to cool
• 10 stalk asparagus – stem 2 mins – spread out on plate and refrigerate to cool
• 1/6 of a fennel bulb – shaved in thin slices
• Lemon Zest
• Wedge of Soft ripe cheese (Fromage Daphinoise / St Nuage / Camembert)
• 2 Bellicchi’s Classic Almond Biscotti – per person

1. Rub salad bowl/platter w/ garlic. Tear lettuce in large bite size pieces and strew into bowl. Lightly dress w/ dressing. Strew cooled asparagus, peas, and fennel over dressed lettuce.
2. Sprinkle dressing over vegetables. Zest lemon over salad. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve soon after composing.
3. Options: Serve with tiny cubed Feta Cheese or Parmesan curls

Ingredients and Directions for Dressing:

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup/honey
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher – salt or to taste
• 2/3 cup light oil – olive / canola

1. Combine all ingredients except oil and whisk to emulsify or place in a jar w/ lid and shake vigorously.
2. Add oil in 3 batches and whisk or shake vigorously to emulsify.

Ingredients and Directions for the Dandelion and Arugula Egg Salad:

• 1/2 bunch dandelion greens
• 1 box Arugula (use 1/3) or Mizuna – if you can find*
• 4 hard boiled eggs

1. Pull dandelion greens off stalk, discard thick stalks. Wash and dry greens. Lay lengthwise on your cutting board in small bunches and slice very thin.
2. Hard boil eggs, place eggs in cold water to cover with one-half-teaspoon salt in a small sauce pan. Cover, bring to boil, turn off flame, let sit for 10 minutes, drain under cool water, and peel immediately. This will prevent the dark green color from forming on the outside of the yolk. Fine chop eggs, add to greens.
3. Rub salad bowl with garlic, add greens and egg. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Add dressing about 10 minutes before serving, mix lightly and let sit, do not mix again.

Ingredients and Directions for Dressing:

• 1 small clove garlic
• one-half teaspoon prepared mustard
• 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt (or to taste)

1. Use a mortar and pestle, suribachi, or small blender.
2. Mince garlic, add mustard and process with pestle to mash garlic.
3. Add vinegar, lemon, and sweetener, mix well.
4. Add oil slowly in a stream while whisking constantly to emulsify. Use 1/3 to ½ of dressing. Save the rest for other salads. It’s handy to have tasty salad dressing in the fridge.
5. You can also use or mix in mizuna, arugula, or other hearty salad greens.