Serving size: Serves 4
Cuisine type: Modern Australian
Cooking time: Less than 60 minutes
Course: Salad

INGREDIENTS

400g white asparagus
1 small red onion, root and skin on and quartered
100g English spinach leaves, washed, destalked and crisp
1 capsicum, roasted, peeled and cut into strips
120g roasted pumpkin cubes
2 tablespoons toasted pinenuts

For the dressing
½ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup white vinegar
1 egg yolk
salt and white pepper to taste

METHOD

Trim the white asparagus by cutting or breaking off the thicker ends — set to one side.

Roast the onion, sprayed with a little oil, in a preheated oven at 200°C for 20 minutes — remove from heat, cool and cut the root end away and separate the pieces. Cook the asparagus in boiling water for 1 minute — lift out of water and leave to cool for a few minutes.

Make the dressing by whisking the oil for a minute and then whisking in the vinegar and egg yolk; season with salt and pepper.

Assemble the salad by placing the spinach leaves into the centre of the plates; equally distribute the capsicum, asparagus, pumpkin, onion and asparagus over the leaves. Sprinkle on the pinenuts and spoon over the dressing.