Grilled Asparagus and leaf salad

This is a great recipe to try now that asparagus are in season. I found it in "New Vegetarian" by Celia Brooks Brown.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons sesame seeds

2 bunches asparagus, about 24 spears

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce (I used tamari)

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

5 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for brushing

2 cups mixed salad leaves, such as arugula, watercress and spinach (I used romano, spinach and alfalfa sprouts)

Celia Brooks Brown says you can add boiled eggs if you want to make change it into a main dish, I added golden triangles of tofu. I cut 500 grams of firm tofu into triangles and fried it until golden brown in safflower oil and sprinkled it with salt. I then added plenty of lemon juice and crushed garlic (about 2-3 cloves) and let it cook until the garlic was fragrant. Delicious.

Lightly toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet, stirring frequently, until golden and popping. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.

Wash the asparagus and cut off any tough stalks. Brush with olive oil. Heat a stove-top grill pan until very hot, add the asparagus and cook, turning occasionally, until bright green, blistered, and slightly charred, about 5-7 min. depending on thickness.

Put the toasted sesame seeds, soy sauce, and balsamic vinegar in a bowl and gradually whisk in the oil until emulsified. To assemble, put the salad leaves on a platter, arrange the asparagus on top (and tofu or eggs if using), drizzle with the sesame dressing, and serve.