blissful eats with Tina Jeffers: Asparagus, fava and pecorino salad

I just returned from a week in New York City and after eating every meal out, my body was really craving something fresh and simple. Since asparagus is so bountiful this time of year I love to add it to all my favorite dishes but this is the first time I've ever tried eating it raw. This salad really fit the bill, bright and refreshing it represents all the best tastes of spring. With such a simple set of ingredients it is imperative that you use the freshest and best quality items you can find. This is my favorite way to cook, minimal ingredients, not super fussed over and really adaptable to variations. You could substitute the fava beans for peas or edamame, swap the pecorino for feta or think about adding some arugula or thinly sliced red onion. Feel free to adapt the recipe with the ingredients you love and have readily available, just keep it simple and keep it fresh!

Asparagus, fava and pecorino salad

Serves 4-6 

Ingredients:

1 bunch asparagus, tough bottom stems removed
1 cup fresh shelled fava beans
1/2 cup shaved aged pecorino
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Cut the asparagus, including the tips into very thin slices, crosswise ( I used a vegetable peeler) and place in a medium bowl. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil and blanch the favas for 1 minute then shock in a bowl of ice water. Gently peel skins from the favas and add to the asparagus. In a separate bowl. combine the lemon juice, vinegar and olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Feel free to add more or less lemon juice or olive oil to get a balanced flavorful dressing. Pour the dressing over the salad, toss to combine, then shave the pecorino over the top and sprinkle with the chopped mint. Enjoy! 

~i know you can't get enough of tina and her amazing dishes...go see her on her very own blog, scaling back! xo mrs. french