Black eyed beans, asparagus and quail egg salad
Ingredients
½ cup dried black eyed beans or 1 can black eyed beans
2 bunches asparagus
2 red onions
½ cup parsley leaves
1 tbs capers
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs sherry (or red wine) vinegar
6 quail eggs (or 2 chicken eggs)
Cheese shavings (mitzithra, kefalotyri or pecorino)
Method
If using dry beans, place in a saucepan with plenty of cold water and gently boil until softened. Drain and set aside. If using canned, drain and rinse.
Heat oven to 180C. Cut the onions into quarters and place in a small oven dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and bake until soft and beginning to caramelise (about 20 min). Remove from oven and set aside.
Place the eggs in a saucepan of cold water and gently bring to the boil. As soon as boiling point is reached remove from heat and let stand for 2 minutes if using quail eggs and 7 minutes of using chicken eggs. Remove from hot water and place in cold water to cool before peeling.
Peel the woody end of asparagus with a potato peeler. Dice the stalk of the asparagus spears and leave the top 5cm of the spears intact. Drizzle with olive oil, season and cook the diced pieces and the spears in a small fry pan until just coloured. Set aside.
To assemble salad, place the beans, asparagus pieces, capers, parsley leaves and roasted onions in a bowl and mix.
Make the dressing by whisking the olive oil, vinegar and a big pinch of salt together (or shaking in a small jar) and drizzle over the salad. Cut the peeled quail eggs in half (or chicken eggs in quarters) and place around the salad. Complete with some cheese shavings.
