Asparagus Frisée Salad

Ingredients

• 750 g white asparagus (or 500 g pre‑peeled)
• Salt
• 1 tsp Honey
• 30 g peeled pumpkin seeds (2 tbsp)
• 2 slices whole‑grain bread
• 1 Shallot
• 1 frisée salad (about 250 g, or dandelion greens)
• 4 tbsp white wine vinegar
• Pepper
• 0.5 tsp mustard (medium sharp)
• 3 tbsp pumpkin seed oil
• 40 g turkey bacon (4 thin slices)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Wash the asparagus and carefully peel it with an asparagus peeler; trim the woody ends generously. Bring a large pot of salted water with honey to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook for 10–13 minutes until firm.

2. 2.

   Meanwhile, roughly chop the pumpkin seeds.

3. 3.

   Trim the crust from the bread and dice it into small cubes. Peel and finely chop the shallot.

4. 4.

   Wash and dry the frisée; cut into bite‑sized pieces.

5. 5.

   Take 4 tbsp of the asparagus cooking liquid and pour it into a bowl. Add vinegar, salt, pepper, mustard, and pumpkin seed oil. Whisk until creamy. Stir in the chopped shallots.

6. 6.

   Heat a pan over medium heat. Fry the bacon slices on both sides until very crisp.

7. 7.

   Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels.

8. 8.

   Add the bread cubes to the pan and fry them in the remaining bacon fat until crispy.

9. 9.

   Lift the asparagus from the liquid and let it drain. Arrange the asparagus with frisée on plates, drizzle the sauce over, add pumpkin seeds and bread cubes, garnish each plate with a slice of bacon, and serve.