Asparagus, broad bean
and air-dried ham salad
 

Asparagus, broad bean and cured ham salad is a lovely salad for the spring, combining the glories of

asparagus and broad beans.  The lavender honey gives a delightful fragrant taste.  It can be eaten on its own, to accompany cold meat or as a tapas dish.

Preparation Time             20  Mins

Cooking Time                 10  Mins

Elapsed Time                 30  Mins

Ingredients

For     6  portions

200 gms          Asparagus

250 gms          Broad beans  - shelled

1 tbs               Chervil  - fresh - chopped

8 slices            Ham  - air-dried - Parma, Bayonne or Serrano - torn into shreds

100 gms          Salad leaves

½ tsp             Salt

For the vinaigrette

1 tsp               Honey  - lavanderer

4½ tbs            Olive oil

                      Pepper

                      Salt

1 tbs               Vinegar  - white wine

Method

To make the vinaigrette…

Put the vinegar and honey in a pan and warm to dissolve the honey.  Add the salt and pepper and whisk in the oil.

To prepare the salad…

Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil and cook the broad beans for two minutes then plunge them into cold water.

Trim the asparagus and cook until al dente - about six minutes.  If the asparagus is long, cut it into lengths about the size of French beans.

Put the vegetables in a bowl with the salad leaves and the chervil and gently toss with most of the vinaigrette.  Divide between four or six plates, adding the shreds of ham, and finish with the remainder of the vinaigrette.

Wine recommendations

A dry Muscat from Alsace is perfect but another flowery white would be good.

Conventional

     Muscat d'Alsace

Interesting

     Côtes de Gascogne blanc

     Mâcon

     Pinot Gris

     Vin de pays Charentais blanc

Adventurous

     Manzanilla Sherry