This pan-grilled asparagus and endive dish makes a beautiful party platter or addition to any spring meal. Grilling the endive and asparagus and preparing the favas and oranges simply allows each element of the dish to pop. A super-light orange juice-based dressing allows the bright colors and fresh tastes to stand out in this salad.
Pan-Grilled Asparagus and Endive with Fava Beans, Orange and Basil
serves 4
Ingredients
3 lb (1.5 kg) fava beans, outer pods removed
1 lb (500 g) slender asparagus, trimmed
2 heads Belgian endive, sliced lengthwise 1⁄8 inch (3 mm) thick
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 oranges
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1⁄2 cup (1⁄2 oz/15 g) small fresh basil leaves
Directions
Bring a saucepan three-fourths full of water to a boil and add the favas. Boil for 1 minute, then drain. Squeeze each bean free of its tough outer skin.
Warm a stove-top grill pan over medium-high heat. Put the asparagus and endive slices in a bowl, add the olive oil, and toss to coat thoroughly. Add the asparagus and endive to the hot grill pan and cook, turning occasionally, until the vegetables are charred and tender-crisp, 8–10 minutes total. Season the vegetables well with salt and pepper.
Finely grate the zest from 1 orange over a bowl. Cut a slice off both ends of 1 orange so it will stand upright. Stand it on a cutting board and, using a large, sharp knife, cut away the peel and white pith by slicing from top to bottom, following the contour of the fruit. Cut the orange crosswise into thin rounds.
Cut the second orange in half and squeeze the juice into another bowl. Whisk in the extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper to make a dressing.
Arrange the asparagus, endive, oranges, and fava beans on a platter. Sprinkle with the reserved orange zest and basil. Drizzle with some of the orange dressing, and serve.
This recipe appears courtesy of “Healthy Dish of the Day,” by Kate McMillan, photographs by Erin Kunkel. Conceived and produced by Weldon Owen, Inc. in collaboration with Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (2014).
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