fennel and asparagus slaw

I’m not sure if there is much asparagus in the shops at the moment, but when there is, this is a recipe worth remembering. Have you had asparagus raw? It’s got a wonderful sweetness and is a nice change from roasted, steamed or other options, especially when you’re mid-season and trying to shoehorn into your meals on a daily basis (or is that just me?).

I should also say that raw fennel, if it’s not something you’ve tried, is also fabulous. I love it sliced thinly and dressed with lemon juice and a really grassy olive oil. This salad (or slaw, if you prefer) just adds thinly sliced pieces of asparagus into the mix. I oomphed up my dressing a bit as well, adding some finely chopped preserved lemon peel and a little bit of sugar, to make sure the lemon juice wasn’t making everything that bit too bitter. I also added a little bit of dill.

We had this with smitten kitchen’s wonderfully rich cauliflower and caramelised onion tarts. It creates a really nicely balanced meal and is a good option for when you don’t want the ubiquitous green salad as an accompaniment – I think it would work well with any quiche.