Springtime in Oregon is magical. The trees fill with cherry blossoms giving the air a mildly floral scent. The sun peaks out from behind the clouds just a little more often than in winter. Em and I start our little makeshift garden on our sun deck. But my favorite thing of all is the return of weekly farmer’s markets brimming with fresh produce. It always comes at the perfect time, when the thought of eating another tray of roasted squash or bowl of chili begins to turn the stomach. All I want at this time of the year is young, tender greens, lightly cooked veggies, and fragrant herbs paired with grass-fed meats and cheeses. And maybe a little sourdough bread 😉
This brings me to one of my favorite salad creations in recent memory, which was born out of the need to use up random produce that didn’t quite make it into my meals that week. While the rhubarb and beet is necessary to capture the flavors I was going for in this recipe, feel free to use any greens or veggies you like in this salad!
Ingredients
- 1 stalk rhubarb
- 1 bunch fresh mizuna
- 1 small beet, grated
- 3 stalks celery, finely chopped
- grated parmesan, optional
- good quality olive oil and balsamic
- flaked salt to top
To Make
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees and top and baking sheet with parchment paper
- Chop rhubarb and roast in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes while you chop and prepare the rest of the salad
- Chop the rest of the ingredients and place everything in a large salad bowl
- Divide salad into individual serving bowls and drizzle with good quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste. Top with a bit of grated parmesan and flaked salt if desired. Serve immediately.