Grilled asparagus, pecans and blue cheese dressing
Serves4
CourseSide
Prepare5 mins
Cook15 mins
Total time20 mins
Ingredients
60g pecans
2 tbsp maple syrup
¼ tsp fine sea salt
125ml buttermilk
125ml soured cream
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 x 25g chives, finely sliced, plus extra to serve
100g stilton or other blue cheese
400g asparagus
4 little gem lettuces, trimmed and quartered lengthways
Method
Toast the pecans in a dry frying pan over a low heat for 3-4 minutes, until fragrant, then stir in the maple syrup and salt. Set aside to cool.
Put a griddle pan over a high heat. In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, soured cream, Worcestershire sauce and chives. Crumble in most of the cheese and mix together; season. Spoon ½ the dressing onto a serving platter. Break off the woody ends of the asparagus and discard; griddle the stems for a few minutes on each side until charred all over but still with a little bite. Set aside on a warm plate.
Griddle the lettuce on its cut edges for 1-2 minutes, until charred. Toss with the asparagus and arrange on the serving platter. Drizzle over the remaining dressing and sprinkle over the pecans and remaining cheese. Scatter over extra chives to serve.
