BoomerGirl Diary

The tiny seeds I planted in my small Kansas garden in late February have now blossomed into beautiful mixed greens just as pretty as any bed of spring flowers.

I grow an assorted salad mix the French call mesclun. This popular blend is grown in Southern France (and now just about everywhere) and contains no less than seven kinds of baby lettuces and salad greens. Typically, the mesclun mix is very colorful with flavors that are sweet, bitter, tangy and crunchy. These baby greens are most tender in the first days of harvest. Pick a bouquet, bury your nose in it and inhale. You'll be surprised by a fragrance of spring flowers and honey. Take a good whiff of this aromatic mix before heading to the kitchen because once you rinse the greens this lovely fragrance will fade.

Immediately after harvesting, rinse the salad greens quickly and thoroughly in several changes of cold water. Next, spin them in the salad spinner to remove the excess moisture and chill in the fridge for a brief time before preparing the salad. I'm sharing a salad recipe that you'll typically find this time of year in Southern France, and at my house.

Salad Greens with Shallot Vinaigrette, Lavender Honey-Glazed Walnuts and Warm Goat Cheese Croutes

4 to 6 cups mesclun (mixed salad greens)

Shallot Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup sherry vinegar

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon each salt & black pepper

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Lavender Honey-Glazed Walnuts:

2/3 cup walnuts, whole or coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons lavender honey (or other honey)

Goat Cheese Croutes:

8 baguette slices, 1/4-inch thick

olive oil

1 4-ounce package goat cheese

Rinse the salad greens in cold water and spin in a salad spinner to remove most of the moisture. Refrigerate until 15 minutes before serving.

Shallot Vinaigrette: In a mixing bowl, combine the sherry vinegar, shallot, mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk in 1/2 cup of olive oil. Let stand for about 20 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.

Lavender Honey-Glazed Walnuts: Place the walnuts in a small bowl. Add the lavender honey and toss to coat. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes, turn the nuts over and bake for 5 minutes more. Remove the nuts from the baking sheet and spread them out on a plate to cool to room temperature. Store unused walnuts in a covered container.

Goat Cheese Croutes: Brush the baguette slices on both sides with olive oil and place them on a baking sheet. Toast both sides lightly under the oven-broiler. Slice the goat cheese into 8 equal portions and shape into smooth rounds. Just before serving the salad, place the goat cheese rounds on a baking sheet and brush the tops lightly with olive oil. Place about 3 inches under the oven-broiler until the tops begin to bubble and the cheese is heated throughout, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a metal spatula, carefully remove the goat cheese rounds from the baking sheet and place each one on top of a toasted croute.

Place the salad greens in a large salad bowl. Whisk the vinaigrette and drizzle as much as desired over the greens and toss gently to coat. To serve, arrange the salad greens on four salad plates. Garnish each with some of the honey-glazed walnuts. Place two goat cheese croutes on the side of each salad. Serves 4.