Tinned Tomatoes: blue cheese

Asparagus, Avocado, Blue Cheese and Beetroot Salad

I'm ever hopeful of good weather and with an eye to the summer I'm tucking into lots of salads and imagining the joy of eating them on an actual sunny day. They seem to be few and far between.

I've souped myself out over the winter, so even on rainy, cold days I still want salad instead of soup and if the salad is as satisfying as this asparagus, avocado, blue cheese and beetroot salad then even better.

Asparagus season has arrived again and that was my starting point for this salad. I added pickled beetroot for a contrast to the green tang of asparagus, blue cheese for a salty edge and avocado for the creamy texture. I pulled all this together with some mixed leaves and drizzled with a little vinaigrette.

It was tasty and satisfying, a real winner.

Benefits of Asparagus

Asparagus is a true superfood. It's a powerhouse of nutrients as well as tasting great. It's a really good source of Vitamins A, C, E and K as well as Vitamin B6 and dietary fibre, It also offers calcium, folate, copper and iron and is full of antioxidants.

Buy it while it's in season and it will be tender and cheaper than out-of-season asparagus flown in, then cook it lightly to bring out all it's glorious flavour.

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Asparagus, Avocado, Smooth Blue Cheese &
Beetroot Salad

Written by Jacqueline Meldrum

May 18, 2012

A flavourful salad for sunny days. A lovely mixture of flavours and textures to brighten up your day.

Ingredients

90g mixed salad leaves
1 avocado, sliced
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
12 asparagus tips
120-150g Blue cheese, I used Claxstone's Smooth Blue, cut into chunks
12 baby beets, (pickled or fresh) cut in half

Instructions

1. Steam or boil the asparagus until tender, then rinse in cold water to refresh. 2. Divide the salad leaves between the bowls. 3. Slice the avocado and then toss in the lemon juice, This will prevent the avocado from browning, but will also add a bit of extra flavour too. 4. Add the asparagus, avocado and baby beets to the bowls, then top with the blue cheese and a drizzle of your favourite salad dressing.

Details