Asparagus and strawberry salad, with arugula and pecorino cheese, with a nice olive oil, honey and balsamic vinegar dressing is the ideal summer recipe, for cheese lovers, strawberries lovers and, of course, asparagus lovers.
Asparagus and strawberry salad, with arugula and pecorino recipe
Few weeks ago we decided to go on a casual walk to the farm store close by. We mostly go there for strawberries and apples, but we tought that it would be too soon for strawberries and too late for apples.
Well, we got a surprise when we found all the ingredients we needed. For a long time I am trying to give asparagus and strawberry salat a chance. And once I did, I am telling you it is all worth it. Not only that, but we already ate the salad twice this week. Wow, talk about a new favorite.
I am not going to lie that asparagus season is a big deal here. So big, that the focus changes entirely in the supermarkets and restaurants on asparagus. Green asparagus. White asparagus. Asparagus grill. Asparagus salad. Asparagus soup. Wine for the asparagus. Sauce for the asparagus. Asparagus pairing everything. And I mean everything. Asparagus pot. Asparagus napking. Even asparagus apron and mittens.
And we don’t back down!
We sustain the crazyness by incorporating asparagus in our meal plan. It is expensive, tough. So we maybe eat a little asparagus and a lot of buttered bread. Just kidding. No.
Anyway.
We often mix sweet and savory tastes, there is nothing wrong with that.
But to find the power combo of the spring, and to savor the two most wanted foods of the spring, all in one single dish, is crazy. And they mix well, too.
How do you prepare the asparagus for salad?
As you might know, there are two ways you can cook asparagus for salads. Toss it in the pan for a few minutes with a bit of olive oil, or boil them for 4-5 minutes.
I recommend you the first variant, because you want the asparagus nicely cooked, savory and the burn marks from the asparagus look really nice in this recipe.
This is all the cooking you will require for this salad.
Start with heating a pan on medium, and adding 1 tbsp of olive oil in it. After the pan is hot, toss the asparagus and cook evenly on all sides, for about 5 minutes. Let it cool a little before incorprating the asparagus in the salad.
Wash the straberries, remove the stems and chop them to the desired size. Have you seen how gigantic the strawberries can be this year? The same for arugula, wash it, and add it to the salad. Break it using your hands if the arugula stems are too big. I usualy avoid using a knife when it comes to the salads, it’s better if you can break them with bare hands.
What king of cheese to use?
There is no rule when it comes to cheese. As you know, most cheeses are tasty and they go well with fruits. We like pecorino for this recipe.
The pecorino has a mild taste, that does not overpower the delicate strawberry taste. Of course, you could also replace the pecorino for another hard cheese. You can even use parmigianno, or some tasty old cedar.
It is important to remember to balance the tastes. If the strawberries are not so sweet, maybe it would be better to use just a little bit of more honey. But don’t exagerate, more honey is not better in this situation. If you use too much honey, it will be too sweet and the cheese will not be so tasty.
Cut the cheese
If you use hard cheese, you could cut it in small pieces or just use a vegetable peeler to create cheese flakes. It will look beautiful with flakes, but make sure you don’t cut yourself. If you decide to go for a softer cheese, just rip it with your hands. The salad will look rustic and delicios either way.
Prepare the salad dressing
To prepare this delicios salad dressing that compliments perfectly all ingredients you need just a few pantry staples – 1 teaspoon of honey, 1 teaspoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Mix them all very well and them drizzle the salad when is ready, just before serving.
There can be no asparagus and strawberry salad recipe witouth balsamic vinegar. But if you really have to, feel free to replace it with any other type of vinegar or just lemon juice.
Food and drinks pairing
This salad goes well with any type of barbeque, or just as it is, as a light and delicious dinner.
Pair it with a light white wine, or a sparkling champaign. Or you could even enjoy a lovely Hugo cocktail with the strawberry and asparagus salad.
Dietary recomendations
If you want to make the recipe vegan, pick a non-dairy cheese, or remove the cheese completely.
You could also skip the honney, if you want something lighter on the diet.
Storage tips
You can keep the ingredients for up to two days, witouth the dressing, but once you use the dressing you will need to consume it imediately.
Asparagus and strawberry salad, with rucola and pecorino
Delicious summer recipe - strawberry and asparagus salad, with rucola and pecorino cheese, with a nice olive oil, honey and balsamic vinegar dressing.
Ingredients
- 300 g asparagus, green
- 250 g strawberries
- 200 g rucola
- 100 g pecorino cheese
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Wash the asparagus spears and trim off the tough woody ends. You can do this by holding the spear near the bottom and bending it until it snaps naturally. Discard the tough ends.
2. Heat a large pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Swirl the oil around to coat the pan evenly.
3. Place the asparagus spears in the pan in a single layer. You may need to cook them in batches if your pan is not large enough.
4. Cook the asparagus for about 5-6 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are tender and slightly charred. The cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of the asparagus spears.
5. In the meantime, wash the rucola and add it to a large salat bow.
6. Cut the strawberries in medium sized pieces and add them to the salad.
7. Season the asparagus with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Remove the cooked asparagus from the pan and transfer them to a plate. It’s better to add them to the salad when they are cold.
9. Until the asparagus gets cold, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, salt and pepper. Mix them well.
10. Add the asparagus to the salat, drizzle the sauce and add the cheese cut in pieces.
11. Mix them just before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 227Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 444mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 3gSugar: 13gProtein: 10g
More asparagus recipes
Vegetable stir fry recipe: teriyaki, white asparagus and snow peas
White asparagus with red wine reduction
Spinach and Asparagus Cream Soup
With a rich history of more than 2000 years, asparagus and it’s varieties has fascinated civilisations and made it’s way into our plates. Find out more about the asparagus history on Asparagus Lover blog.
Did you try our recipe? Please share your experience with us, comment below, or tag @basilbunch.blog on Instagram and hashtag it #basilbunchblog. We would love to see your creation!