Lemony roasted asparagus, new potato and pea salad

A warm spring salad that’s both versatile and easy to assemble. Serve this lemony asparagus salad with jammy boiled eggs as an Easter lunch starter, side dish or for a...

recipe
About Recipe
Lemony roasted asparagus, new potato and pea salad

A warm spring salad that’s both versatile and easy to assemble. Serve this lemony asparagus salad with jammy boiled eggs as an Easter lunch starter, side dish or for a light lunch.

Ingredients :
  • 400-500g asparagus spears, any woody root ends trimmed
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • Finely grated zest and juice 1 small lemon
  • 200g frozen petits pois
  • 600-700g small new potatoes, well washed
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 70-80g baby spinach, lamb’s lettuce or shredded wild garlic leaves if you can get them
  • Some parsley, chervil, tarragon (or a mix), finely chopped – be generous
  • 4 ‘soft’ hard-boiled free-range eggs, halved (see tips)
Directions :
  1. Heat the oven to 200°C fan/gas 7. Scatter the asparagus in a roasting tin, trickle over 2 tbsp olive oil, add the lemon zest and half the juice, then season well with salt and pepper. Give everything a rattle around so the asparagus is well coated. Roast for about 15 minutes – a little less if the asparagus is very thin, a bit more if it’s thick – you want it to be tender with a little char on it. Add the frozen peas 2-3 minutes before the end of cooking, then give everything a stir and cook until done.

  2. While the asparagus is roasting, cook the potatoes in lightly salted boiling water until tender (about 12-16 minutes depending on their size). Drain and, when they’re just warm enough to handle, halve them (unless they’re really tiny). Then, in a large bowl, toss them with the remaining lemon juice, the mustard and the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil.

  3. When the asparagus and peas are cooked, toss them gently and thoroughly with the potatoes. Add whatever green leaves you’re using, plus the chopped herbs, whatever they might be. Season with a bit more salt and pepper if it needs it, divide it among the plates and put the halved boiled eggs on top.