Zena’s Spring Recipe Zena’s Spring Recipe

Spring is in the air and warm salads are all the rage, perfectly cooked local seasonal veggies, a tad of carbs to fill you up and a dressing that makes you zing.

Warm Asparagus and New Potato Salad

I’ve suggested jerseys as they are so delicious and well known, use local alternatives like charlotte but avoid small potatoes supermarkets call or influence as new as they are only the runt of the litter and have little flavour.

450g jersey royals – scrubbed

1 x bunch Norfolk asparagus – trimmed

5 spring onions – trimmed and cut in to 3cm lengths

6 – 8 radishes – thinly sliced

Dressing

1 lemon – juiced

3 tablespoons cold pressed rapeseed oil (or olive) pinch dried Colman’s mustard powder

1 teaspoon runny local honey

1 tablespoons flat parsley - chopped seasoning

• Steam or boil the potatoes until just cooked, cut in to chunky slices and set aside. (cooking time approx. 10 – 12 minutes)

• Meanwhile steam or boil the asparagus for 4 – 5 minutes until just cooked and then cut each one in to three.

• For the dressing simply whisk all the ingredients together and season to taste.

• Simply toss all the ingredients together, while the potatoes and asparagus are still warm and coat in the dressing.

• Serve as a simply tasty starter or with a chunk of bread for lunch.

Asparagus know how

Look for a firm bunch, deep green in colour, local is always best, Norfolk and Suffolk offer those fat ones full of flavour and crunch. Simply trim or snap the hard bottom 2 – 3 cm off and gently wash. Steam or boil until just tender but with a bite. Asparagus can also be roasted, barbequed and grilled from raw, just drizzle on some oil and season well before cooking.

Variations

Go Nuts – try adding toasted almond slices. Crabby – toss with the meat from a large dressed crab.

Aniseed – try replacing the parsley with tarragon.

More Veggie – toss in a tablespoon of sundried tomatoes or roasted red pepper slices or both.

Recipe by Zena Leech-Calton

For my food and drink walking tours go to www.lovenorwichfood.co.uk