Asparagus and Zucchini Salad
A warm grilled salad in which young green asparagus takes the lead in spring. It’s joined by grill-striped slices of zucchini, oven-roasted cherry tomatoes that concentrate their sweetness, and seared suluguni cheese with appetizing grill marks. All of it is laid over a bed of arugula or baby spinach and dressed with a garlic-balsamic vinaigrette.
Asparagus is rightly considered the queen of the spring table: it’s tasty, good for you, and almost calorie-free, and spring is its golden season. The ice-water trick (a shock-chill after blanching) locks in the bright green color of the stalks.
One handy trick: Swap the suluguni for any other firm-enough cheese (halloumi, Adyghe) so it doesn’t melt away on the grill. To avoid damaging the fragile asparagus stalks, gather them into a bundle, line them up by length, and tie them with string before cooking. Don’t overcook the asparagus: it should be al dente, with a little bite. If you don’t have a grill pan, sear the vegetables in a regular cast-iron skillet over high heat.
Serve warm, with garlic croutons and a glass of wine; a salad like this turns even a weeknight dinner into an occasion. It’s best made right before serving.
Part of Mediterranean cuisine — 20 more recipes in the section.
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Ingredients
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 170C. Toss the cherry tomatoes in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and arrange them cut side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for about 50 minutes, until they're well dried, then remove and let cool.
Trim the tough ends off the asparagus stalks. Boil the asparagus in boiling water for 4 minutes, remove it, and immediately plunge it into a bowl of ice water; the temperature change helps preserve the color. Pat the asparagus dry with a paper towel.
Cut the zucchini lengthwise into thin long slices. Separately dress the zucchini and asparagus with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Sear the vegetables on a well-heated grill pan.
Brush the suluguni slices with a brush dipped in olive oil. Quickly sear the suluguni on the grill so the cheese doesn't melt away.
Combine the salad greens with the vegetables, then top with the cheese and tomatoes. For the dressing, mash a garlic clove with salt, combine it with olive oil, vinegar, and pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the salad, then scatter basil leaves on top.
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