Asparagus, pea and spinach panzanella

Name: Asparagus, pea and spinach panzanella
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: Serves 2
Cuisine: British recipes
Ingredients: ½ small red onion, finely sliced; 2 tbsp red wine vinegar; 150g trimmed asparagus; 150g fresh peas (podded weight – roughly 500g peas in their pod); 50g baby leaf spinach; 2 tsp capers, rinsed and drained; 6-8 caperberries (optional); 4 tbsp chopped parsley; 1 tbsp chopped mint; 1 tbsp chopped tarragon; Finely grated zest ½ lemon; 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds, toasted in a dry pan until fragrant; For the croutons; 1 large garlic clove; 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil; 100g bread, at least a day old (preferably); For the dressing; 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tsp red wine vinegar; ½ tsp dijon mustard; ¼ tsp runny honey or agave syrup

Portion size: Serves 2
Prep time 20 min, plus 15 min soaking and 5-10 min resting . Cook time 10 min
Difficulty: easy

Dairy-free

Vegan

Kathy Slack

Food writer, grower and cook

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Celebrate spring‘s finest fresh produce with this vibrant green salad. Here’s why you should add Kathy Slack’s asparagus panzanella to your May menu…

Twist on a classic: “Traditional panzanella includes tomatoes, cucumbers and sometimes peppers, but that’s not the harvest I have in May,” says Kathy. “The key feature of panzanella, however, is stale bread that soaks up the sharp dressing, so here I’ve taken that as a starting point for a green interpretation of the classic.”
Produce perfection: This salad makes the most of British asparagus and homegrown peas. “I like to serve the fresh peas raw – their firmness and sweet pop adds texture and interest to the dish. Defrosted frozen peas are a perfectly serviceable, if less romantic, alternative.”

Make the most of the spears’ brief season with more asparagus recipes.

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Ingredients

½ small red onion, finely sliced
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
150g trimmed asparagus
150g fresh peas (podded weight – roughly 500g peas in their pod)
50g baby leaf spinach
2 tsp capers, rinsed and drained
6-8 caperberries (optional)
4 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp chopped mint
1 tbsp chopped tarragon
Finely grated zest ½ lemon
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds, toasted in a dry pan until fragrant

For the croutons

1 large garlic clove
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
100g bread, at least a day old (preferably)

For the dressing

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp red wine vinegar
½ tsp dijon mustard
¼ tsp runny honey or agave syrup

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Method

Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. For the croutons, finely grate the garlic clove into a bowl. Add the extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt, then muddle it all together. Tear the bread into rough bite-size pieces, add to the bowl and toss, squeezing the bread a bit so it absorbs the oil and making sure each piece is evenly coated. Arrange the croutons in a single layer on a baking tray and roast for 10 minutes, giving the tray a jiggle halfway through, until the bread is lightly browned but still a little soft. Remove from the oven and set aside (far away from where you are cooking – they’re very tempting).
Now for the salad. In a small bowl, submerge the red onion slices in the red wine vinegar and set aside to soften for at least 15 minutes.
Steam the asparagus spears, whole, over simmering water for 3 minutes, then pat dry and transfer to a large, shallow salad bowl. Add the raw peas and all the other ingredients. Add the croutons. Drain the red onions and add them to the bowl too.
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For the dressing, simply whisk everything together with a pinch of salt and check the balance of flavours – it should be sweet but tart too. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss with gentle hands. I like to leave the salad ingredients to get to know each other for 5-10 minutes before serving so the croutons can absorb some of the dressing and soften just a little, as in a traditional panzanella recipe.