Raw Asparagus Salad with Peach, Orange Blossom and Pecorino
I had lots of asparagus in my kitchen this year but, unfortunately, no time to try many raw recipes. I needed green and white asparagus for new recipes for my cookbook which I'm very happy with. Since late March, a quick combination of Asparagus with Balsamic Bacon and a Tortilla joined the eat in my kitchen recipe collection but there was no salad with the raw green stalks, that changed last week.
My Mediterranean version with tomatoes and Parmesan inspired by my mother introduced me to the pleasures of raw asparagus for the first time, followed by a Nordic salad with hardboiled egg, lemon yoghurt dressing and chives. This year, I felt like a fruity take on this dish, thinly sliced green asparagus with honey sweet white peaches, young pecorino and a refreshing dressing made with freshly squeezed orange juice and orange blossom water. Enjoyed with a glass of chilled rosé and a crunchy loaf of rustic French bread I didn't even mind that the cool temperatures couldn't keep up with this summery dish.
Raw Asparagus Salad with Peach, Orange Blossom and Pecorino
For 2 you need
The asparagus should be very fresh and not woody.
raw green asparagus, the bottom cut off and the lower part peeled if necessary, about 10 stalks
flat white Doghnut (or Saturn) peaches, sliced thinly, 2
young Pecorino (or Parmesan), sliced thinly, about 50g / 1 3/4oz
For the dressing
olive oil 3 tablespoons
freshly squeezed orange juice 2 tablespoons
quality orange blossom water (preferably organic) 2 teaspoons
a pinch of sugar (or honey)
salt and pepper
Cut the asparagus' heads off and in half, cut the stalks into slim slices, this works best with a mandoline or cheese slicer. Arrange the asparagus and peaches on plates. Whisk the ingredients for the dressing and season to taste, sprinkle over the salad and finish it off with the Pecorino.
Roast Chicken with spiced Peaches
This is peach heaven! Finally the fruits are so juicy and ripe, that every bite into their velvety skin is so sweet and refreshing that I eat them every day, in the morning, for lunch or as an after dinner dessert. As always, I can't stop myself at the market, I buy them in bulk, the round and yellow ones, round and white and the flat galaxy (or vineyard) peaches. The whole variety finds its place in my kitchen! Sometimes I end up with more than we can eat, so peach jam is definitely on my list but for now I use them in my Roast Chicken with spiced Peaches.
A few years ago I cooked a roast chicken recipe from a Jamie Oliver book, he prepares the meat with pineapple and spices and purées some of the fruit to a thick sauce. My boyfriend who loves this dish cooks it quite often, we changed a few things and always replace the pineapple with peaches, rub the chicken with lemon oil and add some thyme which is great in this combination. The two of us disagree on one point and that's how much of the fruit should be turned into a smooth sauce. He prefers lots of sauce and I like it chunky, so it's up to you how much of the roasted peaches you put in the food processor. He is for a half - half ratio and I prefer 1:3!
Either way it tastes delicious, fruity and spicy, the meat is perfectly juicy and the skin is crisp - you can't ask for more when there's roast chicken on your table!
The leftovers, meat and sauce, are great on a sandwich!
Roast Chicken with spiced Peaches
For 2-3 people (or 4 if you have a starter and dessert) you need
free range/ organic chicken 1,5kg / 3.5 pounds
big galaxy (vineyard) peaches, quartered, 8
bell pepper, cut into strips, 150g / 5.5 ounces
small red onions, cut into 8 pieces, 3
fresh red chili pepper, finely chopped, 1/2
fresh ginger, a 2cm / 3/4" piece, thinly sliced
garlic, 3 cloves, 1 thinly sliced and 2 in their skin
thyme, a small bunch
parsley, the leaves of a small bunch
freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tablespoon
olive oil 2 tablespoons plus more for the peaches
fennel seeds, slightly crushed in a mortar, 1 tablespoon
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar, 1 teaspoon
coarse sea salt, 1 teaspoon
Set the oven to 200°C / 390°F (I use the Rotitherm roasting setting).
Put the peaches, bell pepper and onions in a baking dish and mix with the chili, ginger, the slices of garlic and a splash of olive oil. Lay half the thyme and parsley on top.
Whisk the lemon juice and olive oil and rub into the chicken's skin. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables, stuff it with the rest of the herbs and sprinkle with pepper, salt and fennel seeds and rub slightly into the skin.
Roast for 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Check with a skewer, only clear juices should come out. If you want the skin to be a bit more crisp turn on the grill for the last 1-2 minutes.
Set the chicken aside. Take out the thyme, peel the garlic out of its skin and put together with 1/3 to 1/2 of the fruit, vegetables and parsley into the food processor and purée to a smooth sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy together with a juicy chicken breast or leg and some chunky fruit.
