Paper thin slices of shaved raw vegetables makes up this light, bright salad that has tons of color and crunch, it’s the perfect springtime and summer side! Imagine a piece of grilled fish served along side this salad, it just screams healthy and good for you!

 This recipe is specifically related to spring but it can be easily adapted by using fresh summer, fall or winter vegetables as well.

 What is a must for this recipe is the use of a mandolin, that’s the only way you will achieve thin and delicate slices, if you don’t have a mandolin I highly recommend getting one, I’m surprised how many times I use mine and it was very reasonably priced.

 I actually just recently tasted this salad at one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago, Quartino, where small plates of freshly made Italian food is served and meant to be shared, this was one of the things we ordered and it was delicious and Chef John Coletta was gracious enough to pass on the recipe.

 I got carried away in the produce department as I often do and bought three different colored beets and three different colored carrots but you really don’t need to do that, using just one of each would be fine.

Don’t let eating raw beets scare you, they have a natural sweetness to them in their raw state, along with a nice crunch.

 Arugula and fresh garden herbs get tossed into this salad which enhances the flavor of all the shaved vegetables.

 Chef Coletta recommends a nice lemon and olive oil dressing for this salad but I was fortunate to receive some wonderful lemon infused extra virgin olive oil from Sorrento, via a wonderful company olio2go, that represents Italy’s finest olive oils. The intense flavor quite frankly, took this salad over the top!

Shaved Spring Vegetables with Garden Herbs

 

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Ingredients

• Adapted from Chef John Coletta
• 1 small bunch of radishes, sliced paper thin
• 2 small fennel bulbs, sliced paper thin
• 4 stalks of celery, sliced paper thin
• 1 yellow, red and orange carrot, peeled, sliced paper thin
• 1 yellow squash, sliced paper thin
• 2 small zucchini, sliced paper thin
• beets, 1 striped, 1 yellow and 1 red, peeled, sliced paper thin
• a generous handful of arugula leaves
• 4 TBLsp, chives, cut into 1 inch sticks
• 4 TBLsp, Italian parsley leaves
• 2TBLsp, fennel tops
• 4TBLsp celery tops
• DRESSING
• 2 TBLsp fresh lemon juice
• 6 TBLsp, extra virgin olive oil, (or use lemon infused olive oil as I did.)
• sea salt or kosher and ground black pepper, to taste.

Instructions

1. Wash the vegetables well, peel beets and carrots with a vegetable peeler. Slice and prep all vegetables before, using a mandoline. Place the vegetables, herbs and arugula into a bowl. Drizzle the lemon juice and olive oil onto the vegetables and herbs, toss and season with salt and pepper. Arrange salad on a platter or bowl. Put the dressing on 15 minutes before serving to infuse and soften the vegetables slightly.

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