A festive spring salad in minutes

Bellwether Farms Pepato Cheese, Fava Beans and Veggie Salad, Sweet Shrimp, Mint Balsamic Dressing
Serves 4

For the Dressing:

• 3 Tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 C extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp small diced shallots
• 10 mint leaves, thinly chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a mixing bowl, reserve.

For the salad:

• 1 lb fava beans, shelled, blanched and skin removed
• 2 stalks celery, peeled, shaved with vegetable peeler
• 1 pinch celery leaves
• ½ European cucumber, cut into strips with potato peeler
• 4 oz broccoli di ciccio, blanched in boiling salted water, chilled in ice bath
• 4 baby carrots, peeled, thinly shaved with potato peeler
• 4 oz Bellwether Farms pepato cheese, rind removed
• 1 head frisee lettuce, washed, torn into small pieces

Keep all ingredients separated.

For the shrimp and crostini, to finish the salad:

• 4 oz Belize sweet shrimp or rock shrimp
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed with back of a knife
• 2 lemon peel
• 1 small shallot, peeled, roughly chopped
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 4 slices rye bread, medium diced
• 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste

Heat two small sauté pans over medium flame. Heat 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil in each one. In one pan add 1 garlic clove, thyme, 1 lemon peel, thyme and the bread. Cook until bread is well browned, about 5 minutes. Remove bread and discard garlic, thyme, lemon. Set aside. In the other pan add the remaining garlic, lemon and shallots. Add shrimp and cook about 1 minute. Shake pan to cook shrimp evenly and cook another 2 minutes, season with salt. Remove shrimp from pan and set aside.

To finish the salad toss all vegetables except celery leaves with the balsamic dressing. Place onto each serving dish. Top with cheese, croutons and ultimately shrimp. Drizzle few drops of the dressing and garnish with celery leaves.

Restaurant website: http://www.fourseasons.com/siliconvalley/dining.html