Asparagus and Radish Salad with Parmesan

This salad is one of those dishes that tastes like spring even in the middle of a grey week. Asparagus is not usually eaten raw, but a thin peeler turns the stalks into soft, silky ribbons that pick up the dressing beautifully. The trick is to whisk the dressing first, in the bowl you plan to serve from, so the lemon, mustard and Parmesan have time to come together while you work.

A fact worth knowing about asparagus: the woody ends are real. They snap off where the spear naturally bends, and that spot is a good guide if you are not sure where to cut. Save those ends in a bag in the freezer and use them later for stock. They add a lovely green flavour to a pot of soup without much effort.

For the radishes, a mandolin gives the thinnest slices, but a sharp peeler works well too. If you are slicing a lot of them, keep them in a bowl of cold water for ten minutes first. They firm up and lose a little of their bite, which makes them easier to eat in a salad with other soft things.

Leftovers are best handled with some care. Raw asparagus and radish soften as they sit in the dressing, so if you know you will have extra, store the dressing separately in a jar and keep the vegetables in a sealed container lined with a dry tea towel. They will keep for a day or so in the fridge, though the crunch fades quickly. Toss everything together just before you sit down.

For a main, this salad sits well beside something warm and simple. A piece of pan-seared fish with a crisp skin is a natural partner, and the lemon in the dressing echoes it nicely. If you want something heartier, Lemony Barbecue Salmon Parcels with Green Beans gives you a similar bright flavour and makes a satisfying plate. Another good match is Crispy Skin Snapper with Warm Lentil Salad, where the cool crunch of the salad plays off the warm lentils and fish. For a meal with more richness, Creamy Chicken Risotto with Asparagus and Peas pairs the same spring vegetable with a softer texture, so the salad becomes a fresh counterpoint.

Keep the portions modest and let the vegetables be the star. A small bowl alongside a plate of protein is usually plenty, and the salad is good enough that nobody will miss a heavy side.