Adrian Niman whips up a beautiful salad that features a delicious bounty of fresh spring veggies.

Spring asparagus salad

Ingredients:

• 12 green asparagus
• 12 white asparagus
• 15 red grapes
• ½ bulb fennel
• small tube goat cheese
• handful parsley
• ½ bunch rosemary
• 2 red peppers
• 1 red onion
• ½ bunch kale
• 2 leeks
• 1 lemon
• olive oil
• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp sugar
• ½ cup cream
• salt
• cracked black pepper
• ½ cup flour
• 1 cup vegetable oil

Method:

1. For the asparagus:

• Prepare the asparagus by chopping off the ends, then peel the white asparagus fully until first layer is removed, and peel the bottom of the green asparagus until first layer is removed.
• Bring water to a boil, blanche green asparagus for 10 seconds and let cool, blanche white asparagus for 30 seconds and let cool. Dry asparagus on paper towel.
• Dress asparagus with olive oil, salt, cracked black pepper, grill for 30 seconds on both sides.

2. For the grapes:

• Cut grapes in half.
• Heat frying pan on high heat. Add olive oil and grapes. Flip and toss, and add some salt.

3. For the pickled fennel:

• Thinly slice the fennel.
• Dress with vinegar and sugar.
• Season with salt.
• Let rest for 30 minutes.

4. For the rosemary goat cheese mousse:

• Let goat cheese come to room temperature.
• Finely chop rosemary and parsley.
• Heat cream to a simmer.
• Mix all ingredients together.
• Add freshly cracked pepper.

5. For the red pepper vinaigrette:

• Char skin on red pepper on the grill or open flame. Cover with plastic wrap to steam, peel skin and take seeds out.
• Chop up half of a red onion.
• Add to a blender, red peppers, onion, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar. Start blending and sowly add 1 cup of olive oil.
• Season with salt.

6. For the crispy leeks:

• Wash the leeks thoroughly.
• Julienne leeks thinly and dry with paper towel.
• Toss in flour.
• Quickly sautée in oil at medium heat.
• Toss on paper towel when crispy, season with salt.

7. For the lemon dressed kale:

• Thinly slice kale.
• Drizzle with olive oil, squeeze of lemon and sea salt.

8. Plating:

• Smear the goat cheese mousse along the bottom of the plate, criss-cross the asparagus on top of the mousse.
• Place the roasted grapes in close to both sides of the asparagus, place the fennel on top of the asparagus.
• Next drizzle the red pepper vinaigrette across the plate, be creative!
• Place a nice pile of lemon dressed kale and crispy leeks on top of the salad for height and texture.

Serves 4

Courtesy Adrian Niman

www.thefooddudes.com

@thefooddudesTO