Warm asparagus & pancetta salad
Ingredients
Serves 2
For the salad:
- 2 little gem, washed, spun and thinking sliced
- 250g asparagus spears, rinsed upside down under running water
- 110g pancetta
- 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 100g cucumber, peeled and chopped into chunks
- 1 handful chives, thinly sliced
For the dressing:
- 3 tablespoons rapeseed oil
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 small clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
- 1/5 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 pinch of caster sugar
- 1 pinch of Maldon sea salt
- A good grind of black pepper
Timings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
Warm asparagus & pancetta salad
There are some salads when only little gem leaves will do, and this is one of them. The little gem hold up their own amongst the salty pancetta and earthy green asparagus spears by adding a beautiful contrast in flavour and texture.
Method
First prepare the asparagus. Hold the spears individually and find the weak spot neat the cut end. Using your fingers, break off the cut end.
Bring a pan of water with a pinch of salt to the boil. Add the asparagus and cook for 1 minute. Drain and leave to one side.
Heat a large saucepan over a high heat and add the pancetta. Cook until brown and crispy.
Remove the pancetta from the pan and leave to one side.
Add the cooked asparagus to the pancetta pan and cook for 1 minute over a high heat.
To assemble, pile the sliced little gem, cherry tomato halves, cucumber chunks, pancetta and asparagus high on a plate or bowl.
Sprinkle with chives.
Place all the dressing ingredients in a small jar and shake well. Dress liberally.
Enjoy!
DOWNLOAD OR PRINT RECIPE HERE.
A sliced avocado and/or toasted pine nuts would make a lovely additions.”
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