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Chargrilled Asparagus. Tomato and Avocado Salsa

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Servings: 6 people
Course: Salads, Sides and Starters
Cuisine: Australian
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 4 bunch fresh asparagus
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 cup raw hazelnuts roughly crushed (see note)
  • 2 slices sourdough bread torn into bite sized pieces
  • 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes assorted colours, halved
  • 1/2 bunch flat leaf (Italian) parsley roughly chopped
  • 1 avocado, firm and ripe
  • 2 lemons juiced
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
 

  1. Heat a barbecue or ridged pan to hot. Drizzle a little olive oil, salt and pepper over the asparagus.
  2. Cook for a few minutes on each side until the stalks are a little charred and not quite soft enough to eat. They will continue to cook as they cool. Place in one layer on a serving platter.
  3. In a medium pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and cook the hazelnuts until golden. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  4. In the same pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and cook the bread until golden and crisp. Set aside.
  5. Peel and cube the avocado and drizzle with a little lemon juice.
  6. To make the salsa, toss together the tomato, avocado, parsley and bread. Drizzle with 1/3 cup olive oil and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and season generously with salt and pepper.
  7. Pile the salsa on top of the asparagus and scatter the hazelnuts on top.
  8. Note: If you wish to remove the sometimes-bitter skins from the hazelnuts, toss them in a hot pan for a few minutes and then roll in a tea towel, agitating them to remove the skins. Then add the oil to the pan and toast as per the recipe.