I’m about to ask you a weird question. Ready?
What’s your favorite salad?
It may seem odd that I care about something so small, but I really want to know.
My ideal salad — the one I’d choose if it were my last meal — starts with tender butter lettuce and is piled with crispy bacon, ripe avocado, tangy gorgonzola, sweet strawberries or mango, fresh herbs and a warm, crusted protein like chicken or shrimp. That is my perfect bite.
In second place is a giant Caesar, loaded with freshly toasted, warm croutons and anchovies. Don’t skimp on the anchovies. Do the darn thing.
Of course, it’s a little strange that my last meal would be a salad, but it’s my blog and I make the rules. Whomp whomp.
On an ordinary day—plain, boring, and margarita-less—lettuce rarely satisfies me. I can throw together a salad that sounds good, but the minute I sit down to eat it, I lose interest. My hands wander to crackers, then the cheese drawer, maybe a few grapes (if Ryan Gosling isn’t feeding them to me), and eventually to a not-so-hidden chocolate stash until I’m too full for that salad.
That’s just how it goes for me. No way around it.
To actually eat a salad I care about, it usually has to be one of two things: a) without lettuce, or b) a taco-style salad with heaps of cheddar and what feels like half a bag of crunchy blue corn chips.
Which, frankly, brings me right back to square one. Except the chips—organic, therefore healthy in my book. That’s also my excuse for finishing an entire organic chocolate bar last night. Full of health!
That said, salads I really love tend to be grain-based: rice salads, quinoa salads, and anything with minimal vegetables. Last year I had a cashew chicken moment with jasmine rice and I couldn’t get enough. When I finally found brown jasmine rice, it felt like a jackpot—so aromatic and comforting.
Asparagus has always been something I tolerate in small doses, but lately I’ve been roasting it until it caramelizes, similar to how I roast green beans, and it’s become much more appealing.
Springtime Jasmine Rice Salad
serves 2
12–15 asparagus spears, woody stems removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup uncooked brown jasmine rice
1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1 shallot, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pint baby bella mushrooms, quartered
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped
Salt and pepper
Prepare the rice according to package directions, substituting 1 cup chicken stock for the water; this will likely take 30–40 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lay the asparagus on a baking sheet, toss with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and roast for 20–22 minutes.
While the asparagus roasts, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the sliced shallot with a pinch of salt. Sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, toss to coat, and cook 4–5 minutes until they release their juices and become tender. Stir in the garlic and cherries and cook for 30 seconds. Increase the heat slightly and add the wine, cooking 2–3 minutes to reduce, then lower the heat.
Toss the cooked rice and roasted asparagus into the skillet with the mushroom mixture and combine gently. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed. This salad is also delicious served cold.
Oh PS: add bacon.