Asparagus, Bacon & Roast Tomato Salad

This is a super delicious summer salad of asparagus, tomato and feta, drizzled with an easy balsamic vinaigrette.

It’s perfect on its own with crusty bread as a light lunch, or as side dish for any meal.

Ingredients

• 3 bunches asparagus
• 1 punnet grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 4 rashes bacon, thinly sliced
• 1 red onion, peeled, sliced into thin wedges
• handful thyme sprigs
• 50-100g Greek fetta
• handful toasted pinenuts
• 1 punnet micro herbs for serving
• Sea salt & cracked pepper

Vinaigrette

• 6 tb balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• 2 tsp honey
• 1 clove garlic , minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 200C

1. Place the tomatoes and onion wedges on a baking paper lined oven tray, season with salt & pepper
2. Drizzle with olive oil, give the tray a shake to coat everything with the oil
3. Roast for 15-20 minutes
4. Remove from the oven & cool slightly

For the salad

1. Slice the woody ends off the asparagus
2. Bring a pot of salted water to the boil, drop in the asparagus and cook for 2 minutes
3. Drain, and plunge into cold water with some ice, to stop the cooking process
4. When cool, drain again
5. Cook the bacon in a small fry pan until crispy, drain on paper towel

For the vinaigrette

1. Place all the ingredients into a jar & shake well

To serve

1. Place the asparagus on a serving platter. Scatter over the bacon, tomatoes, onion & thyme
2. Crumble over the fetta & pine nuts
3. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and scatter over the micro herbs