As asparagus season has well started, they have become a staple ingredient in my spring kitchen. Today I made Mr. N and I a light lunch that is great in colour and a reminder of summer being close by. Warm salads are healthy and a great way to mix all sorts of flavours together, there are endless options. You can never go wrong with grilled asparagus though that is coated with lovely little beads of quinoa. Meanwhile, the garlic stem broccoli marries well with the spicy tiger prawns, while the tangy blue cheese gives some creamy deliciousness to it all. The crispy beet chips add a degree of crunch and the sweet blueberries give us a taste of sweet summer flavours. The salad is topped with a perfectly cooked egg with a lovely soft yolk that oozes on all the other ingredients. This combination is a lovely social dish to eat amongst friends and perfect for wine lunches!
Ingredients
Directions
1. Prepare the asparagus by rinsing them thoroughly, break off any tough white bottoms and discard. (Peel tough skin away with a peeler) Brush a bit of olive oil on asparagus and cook gently on a grill. Season with salt and pepper. Meanwhile make the beet chips: slice the beetroot into thin slices & pat dry with kitchen paper. Place on baking tray, add salt and cook in the oven ( 160) for about 15-20 minutes until crispy. As easy as that, no oil needed!
2. Rinse the quinoa in hot water. Place to cook in a sauce pan with a bit of water and salt. Let it simmer gently until cooked throughout.
3. In a sauce pan, add butter and finely chopped garlic. Wash the stem broccoli and add to pan. Stir around for under 10 minutes until cooked. Leave al dente to keep some crunch.
4. In a hot pan, cook tiger prawns with garlic, chili flakes, soya sauce and turmeric. Toss around for a couple of minutes.
5. Boil the refrigerated egg to perfection for 7 minutes so that the yolk is soft and the white is firm.
6. Ready to plate: Combine the quinoa, asparagus, broccoli and mix well together. Add the tiger prawns, crumbled blue cheese and blueberries. Drizzle a bit of olive oil, grind some black pepper and slice the egg so the yolk spills over.