Don’t you just love a recipe post without any history, pithy anecdotes or epic battle scenes to endure before you get to the shopping list?
Well this is one of those, a simple and satisfying salad I knocked up last week and then pretty much every other night since. It’s easy, tasty, and just about seasonal depending whereabouts you are. Give it a go, and read a book once in a while.
Boomboom’s Tomato, Avo & Asparagus Salad
Serves 2 as a side
Two cups/handfuls of ripe, seasonal tomatoes.
One ripe avocado
100g asparagus tips
2 tablespoons fresh dill, stalks removed
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tsp dijon mustard
Pinch of sea salt
2-3 cracks of black pepper
1/4 tsp or literally one drop of maple syrup or agave (optional)
Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and prepare a bowl of ice water.
Chop the asparagus into bite sized pieces and add to the pan when the water is at a rolling boil. Turn off the heat immediately and leave for 2 minutes (seriously set a timer, 2 minutes, no more). Drain and dump the asparagus into the ice water.
Chop the tomatoes and avocado into bite sized pieces and put into a very large bowl to allow mixing without smushing your avocado too much.
Very finely chop the dill and set aside.
Combine the oil, vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, salt, pepper and syrup (if using*) into a small jar and shake vigorously to mix the dressing.
Drain the asparagus well then add to the rest of the veg, pour over the dressing and mix thoroughly but gently! Serve immediately and garnish with the chopped dill.
This is a great BBQ side and goes particularly well with a steak or burgers- this definitely includes faux meat options like Beyond Burgers. You could also add some grilled halloumi or chicken to make this a main event salad and serve with some crusty bread a very cold glass of white wine.
Happy BBQ season!
*this is quite a sharp dressing, which I really enjoy against the butteriness of avocados but it you prefer it a little less pokey then add a very small amount of syrup to balance this out.
Food. Boom. 