Let’s talk about this incredible summer side – fresh from the farm strawberry and asparagus salad. It offers a mixture of complimenting flavors from the smoky grilled asparagus, to the juicy strawberries, tied together by the salty feta. Simply dressed in extra virgin olive oil, a sweet balsamic glaze and tangy lemon, this salad is a beautiful blend of colours perfect for the season.
Yields:
4 servings
Ingredients:
- Strawberry, 1 lb.
- Asparagus, 1 bunch
- Feta, ½ cup, crumbled
- Extra virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp.
- Balsamic glaze, 1 tbsp.
- Sea salt, to taste
- Cracked black peppercorn, a pinch to taste
- Lemon, a couple wedges, for garnish/ finishing taste
What you’ll need:
- Paring knife
- Colander
- Grill pan
- Tongs
- Prep bowls
What to do:
Clean the strawberries by soaking them in water with a touch of white vinegar for 10 minutes. Wash the asparagus under cold running water and snap off the fibrous ends. Crumble the feta cheese, clean and cut the lemon and set both aside for plating.
Heat the grill pan over medium high heat then place in the asparagus. Grill for 8-10 minutes (depending on thickness). They should still have a bite to them. Don’t move them around too much in the pan to get those beautiful grill marks.
Rinse the strawberries under cold water and drain. Remove the green tops from the strawberries and cut in thick slices.
To plate the salad, scatter the different components all over the dish. Start with the asparagus and strawberries and then generously drizzle the extra virgin olive oil and balsamic glaze on top. Top it off with the crumbled cheese and season with salt and black pepper. Add the lemon wedges to the plate and serve.
Note that you can prep this strawberry and asparagus salad for a special occasion the night before and assemble the day of. Leave strawberries whole and cut them when you are ready to assemble so they keep their form and don’t get mushy.