Green Vegetable Salad with Creamy Tarragon Dressing

I find that it is so much more enjoyable to eat vegetables when they are doused in cream. Undoubtedly, this is why I love this salad as much as I do. Apparently, this dish is reminiscent of a French salad of haricots verts and green hazelnuts but I so like the addition of peas and asparagus in all their green glory. As for the nuts, I just toast up some regular old hazelnuts and give them a chop.

I eat this all season long, changing the vegetable and herb combinations as the garden changes, adding in basil, some diced, grilled zucchini, a chopped tomato, or making it with just peas. The basic premise always remains the same: seasonal green veg, delicious creamy goodness, chopped toasted hazelnuts.

This serves about 8 as a side dish:

• 1/2 cup crème fraîche
• The juice of 1/2 a lemon
• The zest of 1/2 a lemon
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 tablespoon chopped tarragon
• 2 teaspoons chopped chives
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 pound haricots verts (thin green beans)
• 1 cup peas
• 1/2 bunch of pencil-thin asparagus
• 1/2 cup hazelnuts

In a small bowl, whisk together the crème fraîche, lemon juice and zest, milk, and chopped herbs. Add a couple pinches of salt and taste, adjusting accordingly. Cover the dressing and refrigerate until ready to serve. This can be made a day ahead.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the hazelnuts on a sheet pan and toast for 5 minutes. Give the pan a shake and depending on how they look, toast them for about 2-3 minutes more. Once they are cool, rub them with a towel that you don't care about to remove their skins, coarsely chop, and set aside.

In a large pot, heat some salted water until it boils. Cut the haricots verts in half. Snap the ends off the asparagus, cut them into 3-inch lengths and set aside. Add the haricots verts to the water. Cook for 1 minute. Add the asparagus and peas to the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes more*. Drain in a colander, and pour the vegetables into a bowl filled with ice water. Once cool, drain again.

Place the vegetables in a serving dish and spoon the dressing over the top. Sometimes, I toss the vegetables with the dressing before serving it, and other times, I just spoon it over. Sprinkle the hazelnuts over the top and serve.

*If you are using fresh peas, they will have to be boiled for longer.