The simplest of recipes to showcase the fresh new season’s asparagus, this makes a lovely light start to a meal. A key component is the fabulous Wensum White goat’s cheese made by Fielding Cottage in Norfolk. I hope they don’t mind me taking a blowtorch to it.
You can of course use the goat’s cheese of your choice but if you can get your hands on some Wensum White you won’t regret it. It’s a melt-in-your-mouth brie-style cheese and has won both a Silver and a Super Gold at the World Cheese Awards.
Goat's Cheese and Asparagus Salad
Ingredients:
1 log of Wensum White goat’s cheese or equivalent
5 spears of asparagus per person
2 or 3 slices of good white bread, toasted
A handful of toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
For the vinaigrette:
3-4 tbsp olive oil
Juice of about 1/2 lemon
1 tspn Dijon mustard
1 tspn runny honey
Salt and pepper
Method:
Cut the cheese into 2cm slices, then using a cookie cutter, cut the cooled toasts to a shape and size the same diameter as the cheese. Mix the vinaigrette, whisking a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice with the honey and mustard, then adding oil until you have an emulsion. Season with salt and pepper and add more citrus juice or oil, to taste. It should be lemony.
Trim the asparagus by bending the stalks until they snap, discarding the woody ends. Cut the spears so they’re all the same length. Any off-cuts can go into a soup. Bring a pan of water to a boil, add a little salt and cook the spears until just tender but still holding their shape. Drain and keep warm.
Place the cheese on the toasts and quickly brown the tops, using either a blowtorch or a very hot grill. Arrange on a plate with the asparagus spears, scatter with toasted hazelnuts and drizzle with the vinaigrette. Serve at once.
Check out other Spring recipes at #CookBlogShare …
The cheese looks perfect!! Not too soft, and not crumbly. Jealous!
I wish I could send you some, Mimi, but I suspect it’d be in breach of US food regs. It’s delicious. But you could substitute. Lxx
Hi Linda, I am hosting a blog link up this week if you wanted to pop a link to your blog you can find it here. http://recipesmadeeasy.co.uk/4-spring-spring-recipes-cookblogshare-week-16/ Its quite simple to do instructions at the end of the post
Jacqui x >
Thanks, Jacquie, I’ll take a look. Have a great weekend! Lx
And … done! Thanks.
Brilliant Thank you for sharing on #CookBlogShare. I have really been enjoying reading your posts since we met so I am sure others will too..
I’m just guest hosting this week. There’s another guest host next week then it back to the usual hosts. It’s a weekly linky and Im sure they would love to see you linking up again.
Thank you, Jacqui, likewise. Will certainly check out #CookBlogShare in future, always good to find new blogs and writers. LBx
Oooh, you’ve got asparagus already. Not fair.
Yes, sorry! It started a week or two early here because to a burst of warm weather. 🙂
That cheese looks divine, will have to seek it out. I am annoyed with myself because I’ve planted oodles of boring potatoes and now don’t have room to start an asparagus bed. Another year behind…
Well, potatoes are good for breaking up the soil, so less digging when you get round to the asparagus bed! They do take up a lot of room if you have limited space. The cheese is gorgeous btw. Lx
Oh, wow, I want some of that now!
Thanks, Michelle, pleased you like it. Lx
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The grilled cheese is delightful indeed. It seems too cold for asparagus…
Cold but sunny here … and the asparagus is served warm. Man up! Lxxx
Touché.
Wonderful combination!! Look so delicious, thank you for sharing 🙂
Thank you, and thanks very much for the follow. Have a good week!
Mmmmh! I think this will be my lunch today~! I just bought some artisan Goat’s Cheese fitting your description at the farmer’s market this morning, and this combination looks like the perfect way to make it shine 😀
Thank you, so pleased you like it. Can’t go wrong with asparagus and goat’s cheese, though to be honest I like asparagus any which way. Lx