Grilled asparagus with orange and olives
This elegant vegetarian dish calls for a little more effort than some asparagus recipes, but the results are fantastically flavoursome. It's good warm and at room temperature, and as a starter or a side. If you'd like a little more crunch, toast some nuts – hazelnuts are good – and scatter over the top.
Ingredients
- 1 shallot
- 1½ tsp balsamic vinegar
- ½ tsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3 oranges
- olive oil, to taste
- 2 bunches asparagus
- 20 olives, stoned and chopped
- salt and pepper
Method
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Step 1
Chop the shallot finely, then soak it in both vinegars, sugar and the juice of one orange for about an hour. Whisk in the olive oil to taste and season well.
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Step 2
Peel the zest from one orange, chop the flesh finely and add to the vinaigrette. Segment the other orange and set aside.
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Step 3
Prepare the asparagus by snapping off the ends. Grill on a griddle pan in batches, removing each batch to a serving dish. Drizzle over the vinaigrette and top with the orange segments and chopped olives. Serve.
