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White Asparagus, Leek & Butter Bean Salad

Warmer days mean colder side dishes! A summer salad of tender n’ sweet white asparagus and leeks on top of big fat butter beans with pickled shallot, loads of lemon zest, chives and the BEST anchovy dressing of your life. It’s served cold and finished with loads of crunchy sourdough breadcrumbs.

Unliked green, white asparagus needs a little more TLC on the prep side of things – be sure to trim the woody ends and peel back the outer skin using a vegetable peeler to reduce any bitterness. A perfect side for steak and a zingy green salad on a hot summer night.

Lunch

Dinner

A Little Longer

Serves 4

Prep Time 10 Mins

Cook Time 30 Mins

Ingredients

Method

2 shallots, finely sliced
½ tablespoon white sugar
½ cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
2 bunches white asparagus, peeled and ends trimmed
3 leeks, green part removed and cut into 2cm thick rounds
800g cold butter beans, drained and rinsed
Juice of half a lemon plus ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
½ tablespoon verjuice
5g garlic chives, finely chopped

Sourdough Breadcrumbs

2 slices stale sourdough
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon flakey salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Anchovy Dressing

10 oil packed anchovies
6 cloves garlic, finely sliced
10g fresh oregano, finely chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
40g unsalted butter
¼ cup water

Method

1
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius and line a tray with baking paper. Make the quick shallot pickle - combine the shallots, white sugar, red wine vinegar and salt in a bowl. Mix well, then set aside for at least 30 minutes.
2
Fill a bowl with ice water then set aside. Blanch the asparagus and leeks until they are just tender (the leeks may need a little longer in the pot). Carefully plunge the asparagus and leeks into the ice water for 5 minutes. Drain, then set aside onto a plate, gently patting them dry with a paper towel. Transfer into the fridge until ready to use.
3
Make the sourdough breadcrumbs - tear the bread into chunks and place into a food processor. Pulse until you form a rough crumb. Add the crumbs, garlic, salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil to a large bowl. Toss, then spread out over the prepared tray. Place into the oven until the breadcrumbs and crunchy and golden.
4
Meanwhile, make the anchovy dressing. Add all ingredients to a deep saucepan and bring up to a low simmer for 7 minutes, stirring often so that the garlic doesn’t burn. Once the anchovies have cooked down and the garlic is soft, turn off the heat and transfer to a blender. Blend until you reach a smooth sauce.
5
Assemble the salad - in a large bowl add the butter beans, pickled shallot, lemon juice, lemon zest, verjuice, chives and half of the anchovy dressing. Toss gently then spread out over the base of a flat platter. Top with the asparagus spears and leeks, then pour over the remaining dressing. Finish with a scattering of breadcrumbs.