#75 - Asparagus, Parmesan and Hazelnut Salad + Chopped Chicken Salad
Some fresh salads for the heatwave
Hello everybody!
I’ve got builders in my kitchen for the next week or so, which means minimal access for cooking. Luckily, this coincides with a London heatwave, which means that I’m in the mood to be eating fresh salads (though less luckily, my shower is also out of action).
In this week’s newsletter, you’ll be getting a recipe for Asparagus, Parmesan and Hazelnut Salad, which is an incredibly quick and lovely side dish, plus a flavour packed Chopped Chicken Salad. The asparagus one will be available for free, whilst the chopped chicken salad is for the paid subscribers (only £3.99 a month for 4 extra recipes, so less than £1 a week!)
Enjoy the sunshine!
Sophie x
The Recipes
Asparagus, Parmesan and Hazelnut Salad
Asparagus season is a highlight in the British food calendar, and really the simplest ways are the best ways to eat it. Simply boiled or griddled, then drizzled with olive oil and salt is great, but I’m also loving eating it raw, finely shaved in a salad.
This makes a great salady side for a pasta main (I served it with a roasted tomato pasta recently and my guests loved it), but also would be a great light lunch to share between two.
Serves 4 (as a side)
50g blanched hazelnuts (or blanched almonds)
200g asparagus
50g rocket
1 lemon
125g mozzarella
30g pecorino romano
salt, pepper and olive oil
Heat your oven to 180°C fan. Pour your hazelnuts onto a baking tray, and cook for 8 minutes until golden.
Cut the woody ends off the asparagus, and discard them. Slice off the tips, then slice in half lengthways and add them to a bowl. Peel the stalks into strips with a veg peeler, and finely slice any fiddly end bits. Add these to the bowl with the tips.
Add the rocket to the bowl, then season with a good pinch of salt, the juice of your lemon and 3 tbsp olive oil. Give it all a really good toss.
Halve your hazelnuts, then tip these into the bowl. Tear in chunks of mozzarella and add strips of your pecorino using the veg peeler, and give it one last toss.
Spoon the salad into a serving bowl, drizzle with a little olive oil and serve it up.
Chopped Chicken Salad
I’m in quite a kebab-y era of my life, by dint of the fact that doing building work on our house often means restricted access to the kitchen, and also that there are two excellent kebab shops nearby. Mr Kebabish is a very good Pakistani spot serving up shish and tikka rolls on fresh naan bread, whilst Savalan is a Turkish joint slinging great falafel and koftes. We have frequented both often and love them both - if you ever find yourself in SE26, take them for a spin.
This salad is basically my take on a chicken kebab, but in chopped salad form. If you have a local Turkish supermarket, this would be the ideal place to find the slightly smaller cucumbers and pointed Turkish green peppers.
Serves 4