Active Time

　　25 minutes

　　Total Time

　　25 minutes

　　This all-green salad is studded with creamy avocado, crunchy cucumbers, and asparagus, and punctuated by tons of fresh dill and basil. The varied shades of green look like spring in a bowl.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 8

　　

For the vinaigrette:

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot

　　2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

　　1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

　　1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

　　2 teaspoons honey

　　1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

　　

For the salad:

Kosher salt

　　2 bunches asparagus (about 1 1/2 pounds), ends trimmed and cut on a diagonal into 1-inch pieces

　　1 romaine heart, roughly chopped

　　1 English hothouse cucumber, trimmed, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced

　　1 ripe avocado, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

　　15 basil leaves, torn

　　1/3 cup torn fresh dill fronds

　　Freshly ground black pepper

　　

For the vinaigrette:

Step 1

Whisk shallot, vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice, orange juice, and honey in a medium bowl until combined. Add oil in a steady stream, whisking constantly, until combined. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.

　　

For the salad:

Step 2

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; prepare a large bowl of ice water and a rimmed baking sheet lined with paper towels. Add asparagus to the boiling water and cook until crisp tender, 1-2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon or spider and immediately plunge into the ice water until chilled, then use slotted spoon to transfer asparagus to baking sheet to drain.

　　

Step 3

In a large bowl, combine romaine, cucumber, avocado, basil, dill, and blanched asparagus. Drizzle with desired amount of dressing, season with salt and pepper, and toss gently to combine. Serve salad with remaining dressing on the side.

　　DO AHEAD:

　　Asparagus can be blanched up to 2 days in advance; store in a sealed container and refrigerate until ready to use.