Published: May 12, 2008 09:56 am         

Recipe of the Week: White Bean Asparagus Salad

Today's recipe is from Kathy VanDerHulst, a part-time resident of Onekama.

"Our ladies Bible study group had a picnic and one of our members, Maggie, brought this salad.

"It was so delicious that many of us requested the recipe."

Maggie's White Bean and Asparagus Salad

1/2 lb. asparagus, trimmed

7 sun-dried tomatoes

1 16-oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 c. red onion, chopped

2 t. capers, drained

1 6-oz. bag gourmet baby mixed greens

2 T. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Dressing:

1 clove garlic, minced

1 T. brown sugar

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

2 T. white wine vinegar

1 T. water

1 t. spicy brown mustard

1/4 t. dried rubbed sage

1/4 t. salt

1/8 t. pepper

Snap off tough ends of asparagus; arrange asparagus and dried tomatoes in a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover and steam 2 to 4 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender. Set tomatoes aside. Plunge asparagus into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain.

Whisk together dressing ingredients in medium bowl. Add asparagus, tomatoes, beans, onion and capers; toss to coat. Cover and chill one hour. Serve asparagus mixture over salad greens; sprinkle with cheese.

Enjoy cooking? How would you like a new apron? If you have a recipe that friends and relatives rave over and ask for, please send it, along with your name, mailing address, phone number and some details on you, where you got the recipe and the reactions it gets to: Recipe of the Week, Record-Eagle, P.O. Box 632, Traverse City, MI 49685; fax (231) 946-8632.