{"id":2550,"date":"2015-07-02T16:58:55","date_gmt":"2015-07-02T15:58:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thecherryplumkitchen.com\/?p=2550"},"modified":"2015-07-02T23:47:24","modified_gmt":"2015-07-02T22:47:24","slug":"greek-style-asparagus-salad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thecherryplumkitchen.com\/?p=2550","title":{"rendered":"Greek-Style Asparagus Salad"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Yesterday was a record breaking hot day – and this was lunch. \u00a0I made some olive bread and put together a Greek-Style Tomato Salad, too, but I’ll post them next week. \u00a0I think I must be thinking ‘Greece’ because the news is so full of scenes from Athens. \u00a0Tough times ahead for a lovely country whichever way they vote, I fear.<\/p>\n

\"Greek<\/a><\/p>\n

I love Greek food, but then I love the herbs that predominate in it – oregano, mint, dill, bay leaves, Greek basil, thyme and fennel are the ones that spring to mind. \u00a0Being a home cook, I have to use what I can buy. \u00a0My oregano is not the evocative\u00a0rigani<\/em>, as far as I’m aware. \u00a0It’s Bart’s. \u00a0Greek basil, I can get. \u00a0The bitter salad leaves don’t taste quite as bitter as they do under Greek sunshine, but I probably would balk at so many unnecessary air-miles just to feed my children lunch.<\/p>\n

Nothing for it, a visit to Greece is in my future.<\/p>\n

In the meantime, we’re coming to the end of the British asparagus season. \u00a0I have treated my early spears with utmost respect and I’m now putting them in tarts, wrapping in pancakes and making them into salads.<\/p>\n

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I picked up a couple of bundles – which was a little over 500g. \u00a0There’s a point on an asparagus spear where it’ll snap naturally. \u00a0That place marks the end of the fibrous bit and the start of the tender, delicious bit.<\/p>\n

(Incidentally, I read something the other day about the English style of eating – and cooking – asparagus. \u00a0Apparently, we steam the whole asparagus spear and then use the fibrous bit to hold. \u00a0I will confess to eating with my fingers on occasion, but I’m afraid I eat the whole thing and would be irritated to get fibrous bits between my teeth. \u00a0Plus, I am inclined to lick my fingers when no-one is looking rather than look for a finger bowl. \u00a0I would be more disappointed in myself if the writer didn’t labour under the assumption all households own an asparagus steamer but I have never lived in a household which possessed one.)<\/em><\/p>\n

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If you are aesthetically fastidious, you can neaten up the ends with a knife. \u00a0I do that. \u00a0Sorry!<\/p>\n

My asparagus I would classify as ‘medium’. \u00a0What chefs call sprue asparagus (that’s the spindly ones) I’d use for something else. \u00a0Fatter asparagus will need peeling. \u00a0Just the lower part to make sure what you have in your salad is tender.<\/p>\n

Whatever you are left with – pop the snapped off ends and any trimmings in a freezer bag. \u00a0That’s asparagus soup<\/a> in the making.<\/p>\n

The asparagus spears I give a rinse under running water and fill a wide saucepan with about 5cm\/2″ of water. \u00a0Just enough to cover the asparagus in a single layer. \u00a0Ish. \u00a0You can be a little relaxed about it.<\/p>\n

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When the water is boiling add a little sea salt. \u00a0I season lightly, partly because I’m going to save the asparagus water for soup and that will intensify the salt content and partly because these spears are going in a flavourful dressing.<\/p>\n

Simmer for 3 minutes. \u00a0It’s almost more of a blanch. \u00a0Just<\/em> tender. \u00a0Then drain, reserving the water if you want to make soup. \u00a0I put mine in a freezer bag for another day. \u00a0Usually, I lay the spears on kitchen paper to dry .. but I’d run out.<\/p>\n

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And the dressing …<\/p>\n

Finely zest one lemon. \u00a0Put it and the juice into a bowl.<\/p>\n

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100ml\/3\u00bdfl oz of cold-pressed Greek olive oil. \u00a0Use one you like the flavour of.<\/p>\n

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1 teaspoon of dried oregano.<\/p>\n

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Salt and pepper. \u00a0This is such a subjective thing, but I used 2 scant teaspoons of coarse sea salt and crushed 1 teaspoon of black peppercorns in a pestle and mortar.<\/p>\n

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Give the drained – and still perky – asparagus a toss in the dressing.<\/p>\n

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Finely chop three shallots and add those.<\/p>\n

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A small bunch of flat-leaf parsley. \u00a0I had to use a small supermarket pot and I used it all. \u00a0Roughly chop. \u00a0It’s part of the salad so I like to see bits of parsley.<\/p>\n

\"Marinated<\/a><\/p>\n

Give everything a light toss and leave it at room temperature for all the flavours to get acquainted. \u00a0If you want to leave it longer than an hour, pop into the fridge and bring it back to room temperature before serving.<\/p>\n

\"Greek-style<\/a><\/p>\n

Eat.<\/p>\n

\"Greek<\/a>Greek-Style Asparagus Salad<\/strong><\/p>\n

Serves 4-6 as a side.<\/em><\/p>\n