Serves 4

Ingredients

1lb / 500g / 2 cups asparagus, trimmed
2 ripe pears
1 tbsp lemon juice
2oz / 60g / ¼ cup flaked almonds
2oz / 60g / ¼ cup goats’ cheese, cubed
1 head romaine lettuce (or other salad leaves)

For the dressing:

2 tbsps olive oil
2 tbsps balsamic vinegar
1 tsp French mustard
1 tsp maple syrup
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation Method

1 Trim the asparagus. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and add the asparagus. Simmer for 7-8 minutes until tender. Drain and immediately plunge into cold water.
2 Prepare the salad dressing by combining the ingredients in a bowl and whisking well to mix.
3 Quarter and core the pears, then slice and add to a bowl with lemon juice. Mix well to prevent discolouration.
4 Drain the asparagus and pat dry.
5 Divide the romaine leaves between four plates. Arrange the asparagus and pear slices on the romaine, sprinkle with the flaked almonds and cheese and drizzle the dressing over the top.