GARDEN PARTY ASPARAGUS SALAD

As the day's light fades and spring's evening chill kicks in, this low-maintenance warm salad is a PERFECT rustic dish for the occasion. Maybe it's the vibrant greens or the fresh basil, but I can't think of anything that shouts spring to me more (save for the blooming tulips of course). Roasted asparagus & raw shallot mixed with warm feta & crunchy pistachios really give this easy-to-make dish a restaurant-quality feel. And honestly, the only thing that would make it better... is grilling the asparagus outside.

Follow along with me HERE

INGREDIENTS

Asparagus bunch

1/2 cup of English peas, cooked

1 whole raw shallot, chopped

Bunch of wild arugula

Bunch of rainbow micro-greens

Sprinkle of feta cheese Sprinkle of red pepper flakes

1/2 of a lemon

Handful of pistachios

Fresh basil leaves

Olive oil

Salt + pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425°F

2. Wash the asparagus and snap the end off one - it will snap where the tough part of the stem meets the tender part. Lay the rest of the asparagus on a cutting board, and cut the stems off using the snapped asparagus as a measurement for where to cut

3. Drizzle olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt & pepper on asparagus and roast on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for about 20 minutes or until asparagus look nicely charred

4. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook peas for 3-4 minutes and drain*

5. Remove asparagus from baking sheet and place in a bowl. Using a pair of kitchen scissors, cut the asparagus into pieces (size based on how big or small you want them to be in your salad)

5. Add the peas, chopped raw shallot, micro-greens, arugula, lemon juice, chopped basil, pistachios, feta, drizzle of olive oil and salt + pepper into the bowl with the asparagus

6. Mix everything together using a pair of tongs and serve warm!

*You can also steam the peas but boiling works just as well here