This vibrant summer salad is bursting with seasonal freshness and perfect for laid-back lunches or light al fresco suppers. Crisp lettuce, tender greens like peas, runner beans, and asparagus are tossed in a punchy pesto dressing, then topped with soft-boiled free-range eggs and a generous sprinkle of toasted sunflower seeds and parmesan. Served alongside slices of golden, olive oil-drizzled Baker Tom’s focaccia, it’s a deliciously simple way to celebrate the best of summer produce.
Summer salad
· Baker toms focaccia
· Olive oil
· Lettuce
· 100g Peas
· 100g runner beans
· 100g asparagus
· 90g pesto
· Olive oil
· free range eggs, 1 per person
· sunflower seeds
· parmesan
bring a pan of water to the boil, and pre heat the oven to 180’c.
when the water is gently boiling carefully add the eggs and boil for 7 minutes. Once done remove the eggs from the pan and cool in cold running water for a few minutes. Keeping the pan of water on to boil, season the water with some salt and blanch the peas, runner beans and asparagus for 2 minutes ( you can do this in batches if easier), and once the greens are cooked plunge directly into cold water and cool quickly to keep the vibrant green colours and fresh Flavours.
Meanwhile cut the focaccia into large croutons and library drizzle with olive oil and toast tin the oven for about 15 minutes, turning a few times to ensure even crisping. Drian the greens very well and peal the eggs. Combine the greens with the pesto and a glug of olive oil. prepare your lettuce, then assemble the salad either in smaller portions or one big platter, combing the croutons, lettuce, parmesan and greens together before nestling the eggs around the salad, and garnishing with freshly chopped spring onions or chive and a few sunflower seed.