This substantial salad of vegetables and beef served with a dressing of zesty ponzu makes a perfect light meal on a springtime evening. Ponzu is a mixture of mellow Japanese citrus fruit juice (dai dai) and soy sauce. If unavailable, substitute lemon and soy sauce. Make sure the beef remains tender by removing it from the heat when it is medium rare. With a variety of colorful, seasonal vegetables, this salad will enliven your dinner table like a bouquet of flowers. Parmesan and reggiano give this dish a rich accent. Serve with a sweet white wine.

7 oz. beef filet Salt Pepper Beef broth (enough to cover beef) 2 spears of asparagus 2 spears of okra Broccoli, several flowerets 1 turnip 2 spears baby corn 2 baby carrots 2 - 3 endives Maitake mushroom Lettuce Parmesan reggiano Minced parsley Ponzu, or a 2:1 mixture of soy sauce and lemon juice

[1] Bind the beef with cooking string and sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. The beef should be bound to prevent it from falling apart when cooked. [2] Bring broth to a boil in a deep pan. Add beef and return to a boil, then lower the heat to low and cook for approximately 8 minutes. When the beef is medium rare, immediately remove the pan and set it inside a larger pan filled with ice water. After the beef cools, slice it. To test if the beef is done, pierce it to the center with a bamboo skewer. If no red juice runs out, the beef is done. Since the beef will continue cooking until the broth chills, remove it from the heat a little early. Do not remove the beef from the broth while it's still hot or else the juice will run out and the beef will turn dry. 　 [3] Prepare the vegetables [A] for boiling. Peel the stems of the asparagus. Remove any leaves from the turnip and baby carrots, then peel. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a little salt, then add the vegetables in the following order: baby carrots, broccoli, asparagus, turnip, okra and corn. When cooked, cut into bite-size pieces. 　 　 [4] Cut maitake mushrooms into small bunches and deep fry in oil. 　 [5] Arrange beef, boiled vegetables and maitake on a plate. I arrange the items to represent a lush vegetable garden in the springtime. The beef forms the soil and piles of vegetables lie on top. Good decoration enhances the flavor of food, so use your imagination to create something special. [6] Thinly slice the Parmesan and scatter it over the vegetables. Sprinkle minced parsley on top. Serve the ponzu on the side in a separate dish.