The Punishment for Being Late
It’s become my rule. Invited to a BBQ? Bring something not for the grill.
I’ve learned my lesson. I’m a late girl. I come from a late family. We are late. Always late. So if I want to bring something for the grill, I always get there too late. The grill is taken.
That is why I bring a side. Sure, it’s more cooking then bringing marinated eggplant rounds, but people expect more from me anyway.
This past weekend my coworker threw a party for her daughter’s middle school graduation. It was a cook-out. So while I longed to be lazy and just bring my fresh bundle of asparagus bought that day from the Mount Pleasant Farmers’ Market to throw on the grill—I didn’t. I whipped it into a salad instead.
Asparagus and Cannellini Bean Salad
Boil the asparagus for 2 minutes in salted water, shock in cold water, then drain. Cut into bite-size pieces. In the same pot, with the water dumped out, add in oil and drop the cut asparagus back in. Although the asparagus is basically cooked, I like to brown it a bit and give it some more flavor, but don’t keep them in so long that they turn soggy. Then add in a can of drained cannellini beans and 3 cloves of chopped garlic.
In a bowl mix together equal parts (about a spoonful) grainy dijon mustard and horseradish with a touch of oil, salt and pepper.
And oh miracle of miracles somehow my garlic chives stuffed into tupperware survived my two week absence from the kitchen. I chopped about 8 strands up and put them in a mixing bowl. On top of that I crumbled lots of feta. Then I poured the asparagus-bean mixture on top, stirred in the mustard mixture, added more feta, salt and pepper.
The feta partly melted to make the combination extra creamy. Sprinkle with extra feta and coarse sea salt on top.
Very wise Gansie. There’s always an over-abundance of grilled items at bbqs and never enough sides!
That’s a great summer dish!
This looks fantastic. My sister has recently become a vegetarian for health reasons and it has been hard on her. She’s also living on her own for the first time and learning to cook for herself. I’ve been testing recipes to help her out, I will definitely try this one!
This was seriously good, but Gansie left out what I believe was a crucial step. We made this at out apt, but then had to transport it 45 mins away to the party. She had decided to serve it room (air) temperature, so we covered it with tin foil and poke lots of little holes in the top, so it didn’t steam to death. But when we served it, the asparagus wasn’t soggy, but almost melted in your mouth. I haven’t had asparagus like that before, I swear it was due to the hour spent under the tin foil canopy.
Hey, you’re always late? You’re from Jersey too? I think we’re related.
Sounds simple yet delicious!
what are garlic chives? lol