Asparagus, tuna and bean salad with shallot and caper vinaigrette

Ingredients

  • For the dressing: 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 1-2tsp runny honey, to taste
  • 2 shallots, very finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp capers, roughly chopped
  • a handful of parsley, finely chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • For the salad: 2 eggs
  • 250g bunch asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 2-3 pieces
  • 400g tin butterbeans, drained and rinsed
  • 250g pack ready to eat beetroot, drained and diced
  • 160g tin of good-quality tuna steak, drained and roughly flaked
  • a few olives

Method

  1. Make the dressing by adding the oil, vinegar, honey, shallots, capers and parsley to a jam jar and shaking well. Season to taste with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.
  2. To cook the eggs, add them to a small pan and cover with cold water. Bring the pan up to a steady simmer and cook for 5 mins for a set while and almost set yolk. Cook for a minute less for a truly runny yolk, and a minute longer for a harder yolk. Drain and run under cold water until cool enough to handle. Peel, cut in half and set aside.
  3. While the eggs are cooking, plunge the asparagus into boiling water and cook for about 3-4 minutes until just tender. Drain well and tip into a bowl. Add the butterbeans and pour over half the dressing, tossing together to mix.
  4. Spoon the dressed beans and asparagus between 2 plates or bowls. Scatter over the beetroot, tuna flakes and olives, top with halves of egg, and season with a little extra salt and pepper. Finally spoon over the rest of the dressing.
  5. Serve while still warm. Or pack into lunchboxes and chill until required.

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