Warm Asparagus Salad
Coming up with unique and fun dishes to wow your guests can be challenging. I always want to make sure I’m serving something not only eye catching, but delicious. I know asparagus may not be every one’s favourite dish but when you make it look as beautiful as this dish, it may be hard to refuse- even if it’s a small taste. I myself, used to eat asparagus everyday but I didn’t always love the after effects… you know what I’m talking about… there is definitely truth to that!
But in all seriousness, this is the perfect side dish- especially when serving fish. You can also eliminate the cheese and serve with meat, making it very versatile. The warm roasted asparagus and smashed cherry tomatoes pair perfectly with the sweetness of the warm nectarines, honey goat cheese, and balsamic glaze. Serve this all on top of a bed of peppery arugula and you have yourself a simple yet impressive side dish everyone will be gossiping about!
Warm Asparagus Salad
Yield: 4-6 servings
INGREDIENTS:
Asparagus, 1 batch
Arugula, large handful
20 cherry tomatoes
1 nectarine, thinly sliced
2 tbsp goat cheese, honey flavour (optional)
Olive oil, drizzle
Balsamic glaze, drizzle
1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
Salt/pepper
DIRECTIONS:
In a roasting pan (or on the grill) spray the asparagus and cherry tomatoes with cooking spray. Season with salt and pepper.
Place in a 350 degree oven to roast for 15-20 minutes.
When there is 5-10 minutes left on the roasted vegetable time, open the oven and add the nectarines to the pan- so they slightly warm and soften.
Remove from oven, and lightly ‘smash’ the cherry tomatoes until they burst and set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
To assemble salad, place arugula on the bottom of the plate, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Place asparagus on top of the arugula, arrange the cherry tomatoes (with juices) and nectarines on top of the asparagus.
Top with goat cheese (optional) crumbles, drizzle with balsamic glaze and sprinkle with fresh basil. Enjoy!
