Two Tasty Spring Salad Recipes

This simple salad, which looks so utterly delicious, is very quick and easy to make and has a lovely interplay of warm, salty, chewy and grassy flavours and textures. It’s the sort of thing I make for an impromptu lunch and serve with a platter of sliced tomatoes drizzled with good olive oil, thin slices of our wonderful local Salumi Australia salami (if you ever see it, snaffle some up – it’s brilliant) and a loaf of bread that has been warmed in the oven. It’s hard to beat!
 Just one thing to note before you dive in: when asparagus is roasted, it doesn’t have quite the brilliant green colour of steamed asparagus; however, roasting really concentrates its flavour, and I must say I rather love its slightly wrinkled look.

about 1⁄2 cup (125 ml) olive oil

1⁄3 cup (50 g) cornflour

200 g haloumi, cut into 5 mm thick slices leaves
and flowers from 2–3 tarragon sprigs, to garnish,
optional lemon wedges, to serve

about 650 g asparagus spears
 (I work on 8–10 spears per person), bases trimmed
2–3 tablespoons
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To make the roasted asparagus, preheat your oven to 250°C and line a large baking tray with baking paper. Sit the asparagus spears on the tray, drizzle them with olive oil, then use your hands to mix them together so the spears are well coated in oil. Spread the spears out in a single layer, then slide the tray onto the top shelf of the oven and roast the asparagus for 7–10 minutes, or until the spears are tender when pierced with a fine skewer. As soon as they’re ready, remove them from the oven and sprinkle them lightly with salt and pepper. 


Just before the asparagus comes out of the oven, heat the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Tip the cornflour into a shallow bowl. Dip the haloumi slices into the cornflour so they’re coated all over (if it doesn’t stick, lightly moisten the slices with water), then gently shake o any excess cornflour. Fry the slices in 
a single layer for about 1 minute on each side, or until the cheese is golden brown (you may have to adjust the heat a little as you go). Repeat this with any remaining slices. As the slices are ready, scoop them out of the pan onto paper towel to drain. 


To serve, sit a pile of asparagus spears on each plate, dotting the haloumi slices here and there (I sometimes break the haloumi into smaller pieces, as I’ve done in the photograph). Sprinkle with tarragon leaves and flowers, if using, and serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over the top. Serve immediately. 


SERVES 2–3

This salad is a terrific example of how simple ingredients can be combined in surprisingly different ways. Basically, it’s just the makings of many a meal – a piece of steak, tomatoes, salad greens and bread – but the way you prepare each ingredient lifts the whole thing to another level, and makes it taste so special and beautiful. Although I suggest marinating the meat, if you’re short on time don’t worry about this step; just brush it with oil before putting it on the barbecue.

1 large clove garlic, thinly sliced

2 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked

2 rib-eye steaks (about 200 g each and 1.5 cm thick)

extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Sea salt flakes, to taste
3–4 handfuls of assorted salad greens (I used a mixture of rocket and elk-horn lettuce in the photo), washed and gently dried
11⁄2 tablespoons good salad dressing, or to taste

1⁄4 cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil

1 small clove garlic, finely chopped

1 golden shallot, very finely chopped
350 g ripe cherry tomatoes, halved (tiny ones can stay whole)

2–3 teaspoons red wine vinegar
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

CRUNCHY BREAD

About 120 g pide bread

1–2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Scatter half the garlic and rosemary over the base of a shallow dish. Sit the steaks on top and sprinkle with the remaining garlic and rosemary. Drizzle with enough olive oil to coat them lightly, then grind on some pepper. Turn the steaks over a couple
 of times so they’re well coated in the mixture, then cover and leave at cool room temperature for about 30 minutes, turning occasionally. (If you don’t have time 
for this, just brush the steaks with olive oil before cooking them.) 


In the meantime, to make the cherry tomato vinaigrette, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Scrape in the garlic and shallot and cook them, stirring regularly for a few minutes, until they have softened and look slightly translucent. Add the tomatoes and stir them about so they’re well coated in the oily mixture. Cook them, stirring regularly, for about 5 minutes or until they’re beginning to release their juices and look a bit squishy. Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the vinegar, remaining olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Don’t worry if some of the tomatoes squash as you do this – it only makes the mixture taste better. Set it aside to cool a bit. This makes about 11⁄2 cups (375 ml). (You won’t need it all for this recipe, but don’t worry. Store any leftovers in the fridge – it’s delicious spooned over fish or lamb, or dribbled over toasted sourdough bread as a tasty bruschetta.) 


Preheat your oven to 200°C and line a small baking tray with baking paper. At the same time, preheat your barbecue to medium–high. 


For the crunchy bread, carefully remove the crusts from the bread with a sharp serrated knife (this is a bit awkward as the bread is quite thin, but if you take your time, they will come to easily). Tear the bread into small bite-sized chunks and 
drop them into a bowl. Drizzle the bread chunks with olive oil and with your fingers (wearing a food-prep glove, if you like) swizzle the bread around in the oil so all the oil is absorbed. Spread the chunks in a single layer on the prepared baking tray and pop it in the oven. Bake the bread for 8–10 minutes, tossing it about once or twice, until 
it’s golden and crunchy. Remove the tray from the oven and leave the bread chunks to cool a little.