To continue with the theme of heralding summer, we’ve just enjoyed
our first outdoor meal (fell- walking packed lunches excepted!). Inspired by Saturday Morning Kitchen again, we
jointly prepared asparagus with grapefruit and then sat in the garden with our
new camping table and a small glass of chilled white wine to enjoy lunch “al fresco”. The birds were twitter-pating and the distant
bells from either the cathedral or a local church were ringing, no doubt celebrating
a marriage on a sunny afternoon. It was a
welcome half hour of sheer indulgence at the end of a very busy week
Warm white asparagus salad with grapefruit zest vinaigrette
Ingredients
1 free-range egg
1kg/ 2lb 4oz white asparagus, peeled and woody ends discarded
1 white grapefruit
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 heaped tbsp mayonnaise
6 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp chopped chervil leaves
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve
griddled green asparagus
chargrilled bread
Preparation method
1. Bring a pan of water to the boil over a medium heat, add the egg,
return to the boil, then turn the heat down to low and simmer for 10
minutes. Drain and refresh under cold water, then crack and peel the
egg. Finely chop the cooked egg and leave to one side.
2. Divide the asparagus into four equal-sized bunches and tie each
bunch with kitchen string to secure. Bring a pan of salted water to the
boil over a medium heat, add the bunched asparagus and simmer for
5-8 minutes (depending on the size of your asparagus) until tender,
but with just a little resistance when pierced with the top of a knife.
3. Grate the zest from the grapefruit, reserve a pinch and put the rest in
a small bowl. Peel the grapefruit, then take out four segments, cut
each one in half and leave to one side, juice the rest of the grapefruit,
pressing it through a fine sieve into the bowl with the zest. Add the
mustard and mayonnaise and whisk together until well blended, then
whisk in the sunflower oil in a steady stream. Stir in the chopped egg
and chervil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Remove the asparagus from the pan and drain briefly on a plate
lined with kitchen paper or a clean tea towel. Remove the string and
put the asparagus onto four serving plates. Spoon the dressing over
the top and finish with the reserved grapefruit segments and a
sprinkling of the reserved zest.
5. Serve with griddled green asparagus and chargrilled bread
.
Ingredients
1 free-range egg
1kg/ 2lb 4oz white asparagus, peeled and woody ends discarded
1 white grapefruit
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 heaped tbsp mayonnaise
6 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp chopped chervil leaves
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve
griddled green asparagus
chargrilled bread
Preparation method
1. Bring a pan of water to the boil over a medium heat, add the egg,
return to the boil, then turn the heat down to low and simmer for 10
minutes. Drain and refresh under cold water, then crack and peel the
egg. Finely chop the cooked egg and leave to one side.
2. Divide the asparagus into four equal-sized bunches and tie each
bunch with kitchen string to secure. Bring a pan of salted water to the
boil over a medium heat, add the bunched asparagus and simmer for
5-8 minutes (depending on the size of your asparagus) until tender,
but with just a little resistance when pierced with the top of a knife.
3. Grate the zest from the grapefruit, reserve a pinch and put the rest in
a small bowl. Peel the grapefruit, then take out four segments, cut
each one in half and leave to one side, juice the rest of the grapefruit,
pressing it through a fine sieve into the bowl with the zest. Add the
mustard and mayonnaise and whisk together until well blended, then
whisk in the sunflower oil in a steady stream. Stir in the chopped egg
and chervil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Remove the asparagus from the pan and drain briefly on a plate
lined with kitchen paper or a clean tea towel. Remove the string and
put the asparagus onto four serving plates. Spoon the dressing over
the top and finish with the reserved grapefruit segments and a
sprinkling of the reserved zest.
5. Serve with griddled green asparagus and chargrilled bread
.
(Although I adore grapefruit, I’m no longer “allowed” to eat
it because of its reaction with one of the tablets I take so although we made
the dressing with a small quantity of juice, that could no doubt be substituted for a mix of orange and lemon juice. I also swapped the flesh for green grapes
which worked fairly well)
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