It might seem a little early to talk about spring salads, since the season doesn’t arrive for almost a week. But some local farms are ahead of the curve by growing vegetables in high tunnels.
Protected from harsh weather, the tunnels (which look like greenhouses to the rest of us) allow farmers to grow crops year-round. Right now, writes Jess Niederer of Chickadee Creek Farm in Hopewell Township, N.J., she is enjoying a variety of winter greens. Those include butterhead lettuce, napa cabbage, spinach, kale and arugula.
She likes to wing it with salads, chopping up whatever looks good, then enhancing it with slices or gratings of carrots, apples, kohlrabi or watermelon radishes. When the salad ingredients are this young and fresh, they don’t need a fancy dressing. Her family’s preference is for homemade, combining one-third part balsamic vinegar with two-thirds part olive oil, a dash of water, 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard and salt to taste.
Traditionally we think of spring salads as those made with asparagus, peas and pea shoots, radishes, lettuces and spinach. But any fresh spring greens will work; just decide if you want something crunchy such as radishes or cabbages, or softer like lettuces or spinach.
Salads are whatever you choose to make them. Use whatever looks good when shopping the local winter/year-round farm markets such as Wrightstown at Chandler Hall in Newtown, Trauger’s in Kintnersville, Penn Vermont Farm in Bedminster, Blue Moon Acres in Buckingham, Milk House Farm and Shady Brook Farm outside Newtown, Weisel Farm in Quakertown and Manoff Market Gardens in Solebury. In New Jersey there are Chickadee Creek and Terhune Orchards. The Doylestown market has completed its winter rotation and will reopen in April.
Some farms are still offering their vegetables out of storage, which also make good salad ingredients.
You don’t have to wait for the local strawberry season to make a spinach salad. This one from foodnetwork.com features mushrooms and red onion to complement the spinach.
Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing
8 ounces young spinach
2 large eggs
8 pieces thick-sliced bacon, chopped
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large white mushrooms, sliced
3 ounces red onion (1 small), very thinly sliced
1. Remove the stems from the spinach and wash, drain and pat dry thoroughly. Place in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
2. If using an electric egg kettle, place the eggs in the kettle and cover with cold water by at least 1 inch. Turn the kettle on. Once the water comes to a boil, the kettle will turn itself off. Leave the eggs in the water for 15 minutes. Remove and peel off the shell. Slice each egg into 8 pieces and set aside.
3. While the eggs are cooking, fry the bacon and remove to a paper towel to drain, reserving 3 tablespoons of the rendered fat. Crumble the bacon and set aside.
4. Transfer the fat to a small saucepan set over low heat and whisk in the red wine vinegar, sugar and Dijon mustard. Season with a small pinch each of kosher salt and black pepper.
5. Add the mushrooms and the sliced onion to the spinach and toss. Add the dressing and bacon and toss to combine. Divide the spinach between 4 plates or bowls and evenly divide the egg among them. Season with pepper, as desired. Serve immediately.
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