Spring is here! To me there is no other sure sign that spring has arrived than asparagus arriving onto store shelves. The British season is short lived so I like to make use of the delicious fresh asparagus while it is here. Grilling asparagus really brings out their incredible rich flavour. This salad is only a few simple ingredients, but the roasted hazelnuts and fresh basil go so perfectly with the smoky asparagus and courgette. A little warning, the grilling can cause a bit of smoke in the kitchen so it’s a good idea to keep a window open!
Asparagus & Courgette Salad
Serves: 2
dairy free, gluten free, vegan
Ingredients
200g asparagus
1 courgette
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
30g hazelnuts
handful of basil leaves
salt and pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 140C.
Scatter the hazelnuts on a tray and roast for 15mins. Keep a close eye on them as they can quickly burn. Roughly chop.
Trim the woody ends off the asparagus. Slice the courgette into roughly 1/2 cm slices. Mix with half the olive oil.
Place a ridged griddle pan on a high heat and leave to heat up for a few minutes until it is very hot. Grill the courgettes on each side for a couple of minutes until you get nice char marks.
Grill the asparagus for about 3-4mins on each side. Add to the courgettes and leave to cool slightly.
Pour over olive oil and lemon and toss. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Scatter the hazelnuts and basil leaves on top.
Optional topping
Add shavings of parmesan or pecorino cheese.
