20 thin asparagus spears 12 oz. jar roasted peppers, preferably red and yellow mixed, drained 2/3 c. chopped toasted pecans 1/4 c. chopped fresh basil leaves 1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice 1 tsp. sherry or wine vinegar 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil 1/4 lb. mixed salad greens
What to do:
1. Break off tough ends of asparagus. Heat 1 in. of water to boiling in a deep skillet. Add asparagus and cook 2 min. to blanch. Drain and transfer asparagus to bowl of ice water to quickly chill. Drain and set aside or wrap and refrigerate until serving. 2. In a medium bowl, stir together peppers, pecans, and basil. 3. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, and salt to blend; whisk in oil to make dressing. 4. To serve, mound salad greens in center of serving platter; arrange asparagus in two clusters on opposite sides of greens. Spoon pecan mixture over greens and asparagus; drizzle dressing over all.
