Wild asparagus are one of those wonderful ingredients that need very little to shine on a plate. Together with some delicious iberico ham and a sweet pimenton vinaigrette, this salad is a super healthy delight for your spring menu.
We love the asparagus season because there is so much you can do with asparagus. And from all that much that can be done, we love it all. But we all have our favourites, and something that excites us a lot is to visit the farmers market and find fresh, crispy, super thin wild asparagus!
Perhaps white asparagus are better known in Spain, whether they are fresh or cooked and then canned. It is true that the quality of our asparagus preserves is simply outstanding, probably the best in the world. We’ll make sure we publish some great recipes using this incredible product. But wild asparagus are simply a gift from nature, and that is why this salad recipe is just phenomenal.
I guess the secret of this salad is that the asparagus are presented just a little bit grilled, not too much, so all the natural flavour and texture remains intact. The iberico ham is just the perfect match for green asparagus, and the sweet pimenton vinaigrette the ideal complement to enhance the flavours. The mint adds a level of freshness that makes this salad a fantastic recipe for a super healthy and delicious spring.
INGREDIENTS
- 400 g Wild asparagus
- 75 g Iberico ham – finely sliced (ignore for a veggie option)
- 100 g Baby chestnut mushrooms
- Fresh mint – finely chopped
- 0.5 tsp Salt flakes
- 1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- For the vinaigrette:
- 4 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp Sherry vinegar
- 0.5 Lemon – just the juice of it
- 0.5 tsp Sweet pimenton
- 0.25 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
METHOD
- Cook the wild asparagus on a very hot grill pan with a tablespoon of olive oil until the asparagus become a bit tender and a bit golden on the sides. Remove and reserve aside.
- Grill the mushrooms on the same grill pan we used for the asparagus for around 4-5 minutes. Remove and reserve aside.
- Make the vinaigrette by mixing all the ingredients in a pot and shake vigorously until it emulsifies.
- Plate the asparagus, then the mushrooms. Place the ham slices in between the mushrooms and dress everything with the vinaigrette. Sprinkle a pinch of salt flakes, the chopped fresh mint and serve immediately.
