Easter is right around the corner now, and I have the perfect salad to bring to dinner. I made it for this month’s “From the Chef’s Kitchen” column in the Erickson Tribune. It’s fresh and green, and it highlights the beginning of the gardening season. Topped with tender blanched asparagus, hardboiled Easter eggs, crispy bacon bits, and Roquefort bleu cheese for bite, I think it will be the perfect start to Easter dinner.Here, I’ve paired the recipe paired down for one, but you can find the full column here.

Recipe: Spring Spinach Salad
Serves one

Ingredients
2 cups fresh, washed baby spinach
1 Tbsp Roquefort bleu cheese, crumbled
1-2 strips turkey or reduced-fat bacon
1 hard-boiled eggs, shelled and sliced
3 asparagus spears

Dressing (makes about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup sugar
3 Tbsp vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)
1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
1/4 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt

Heat a skillet over medium heat. When it is hot, cook bacon on each side until crispy and brown. Remove bacon from pan, and place it on a layer of paper towels to drain the grease. Once it is cool, break it into small pieces.

Fill a large sauce pan half-way with water and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, wash asparagus and trim off the bottoms. Also fill a large bowl with water and ice. Once the water in the sauce pan has come to a boil, carefully drop in the asparagus for 1 minute. Drain asparagus in a colander, then place the colander into the ice bath to blanch the asparagus. Remove asparagus from ice bath, and place into a bowl. Asparagus should be firm with a slight tenderness and bright green.

Place spinach into a large bowl — big enough to toss it. To make dressing, combine the sugar and vinegar in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil, and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove pan from heat, and add remaining ingredients. Whisk to combine, then whisk again before dressing the salad.

Pour 2 Tbsp well-whisked dressing over spinach, and toss to coat leaves. Then drizzle 1 Tbsp of dressing over asparagus, or enough to coat. Place spinach onto a dinner plate or into a bowl. Sprinkle the bleu cheese and bacon bits over top. Then lay the sliced egg over the salad, and finish with the asparagus spears. Top with extra dressing if desired.

Note: If you have remaining dressing, it will keep in the refrigerator and can be used on other salads as you like. It is excellent with spinach, mandarin oranges, dried cranberries, and sliced almonds. Or try it with spinach, fresh strawberries, walnuts, and goat cheese.

Happy Spring!