It’s high time we cranked up on the spring feeling, don’t you think?
We’re in Mallorca at the moment and after a day of basking in the sun it’s pouring rain and gloomy af. Sigh… hopeful for the coming days though!
I was recently invited to a restaurant opening in Berlin Mitte. The food was delicious, middle eastern cuisine with a modern twist in a very cool setting. I was particularly taken by a salad with raw asparagus and feta cheese and knew I had to try and recreate it. I mean, there was also a baklava croissant crossover that was absolutely divine, but that’s a project for another day!
Thinly sliced green asparagus (I blanched mine in boiling water for a minute, but if you have really fresh and thin asparagus you don’t need to do that) with a bright lemon, rosemary and honey vinaigrette. Roasted chickpeas add crunch and feta cheese a lovely salty creaminess. This salad is perfect for spring and wouldn’t it be great for Easter lunch? It comes together quickly and is so lovely and light.
Sending lots of spring vibes to everyone out there! 🌸☀️🌿🌼
xoxo Donata
Ingredients
Serves 2
1 small can chickpeas, drained and well rinsed
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Dressing
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon rosemary leaves
3 tablespoons chopped shallots
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp honey
Freshly ground pepper
1 pinch red chili flakes
Salad
250 g fresh green asparagus
180 g full fat feta cheese, room temperature
5 radishes
3 spring onions
Freshly ground pepper
Coarse sea salt
Preparation
Preheat oven to 235C.
Place the ingredients for the roasted chickpeas in a bowl and mix well so the chickpeas are evenly covered in olive oil, salt and smoked paprika powder. Roast for 25 minutes until brown and crispy. Set aside to cool.
Place all the ingredients for the dressing in a food processor and whiz on high until very smooth and emulsified. If you don’t have a food processor a hand held mixer will do just as well, just try and get it as smooth as it will get. Set aside.
Set a big pot of generously salted water to boil. Remove the tough lower end of the asparagus and discard. Slice the asparagus spears thinly at a long angle. Leave the tips whole.
Prepare a bowl of ice water or very cold water.
Blanche the asparagus in the boiling water for one minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately place in the ice water.
Slice radishes very thinly (this works best with a mandolin, but watch your fingers!). Slice spring onions thinly.
Crumble the feta cheese with your fingers.
Arrange salad on two plates: divide up asparagus evenly, then top with radish slices. Share up the spring onion, feta cheese and chickpeas. Drizzle generously with dressing. Top with freshly ground pepper and a sprinkling of coarse sea salt.
Serve immediately.
