Roasted green asparagus salad with a Rooibos tea and orange dressing
A very special salad for all asparagus and Rooibos tea lovers
Published originally on my blog on 14 May 2011
I don't have a recollection of ever trying asparagus when I was little. I only remember that I associated them with some foul taste and that I never ever wanted to lay eyes on them. I think I might have even been scared of them.
And then, I grew up.
Growing up means accepting responsibility for your own actions, being able to learn from your mistakes (I'm still trying to master that), having perspective when things don't go your way and having perspective when things do, but for me, growing up meant one more thing. Broadening my eating habits.
I'm not going to bore you with the details of my dietary changes or the “aha” moments that I’ve experienced when I tasted different green stuff that I once vowed not to ever put in my mouth.
What I am going to tell you is that the first time I seriously tried asparagus—and by seriously, I mean actually eating a whole spear and not tossing it after the first reluctant bite—was a moment of glee and surprise. I had no idea those little suckers tasted that good.
Just so that I'm not misunderstood here, I am talking about the green asparagus and not the white. Those chubby white ones don't sit well with me at all.
Dressed in a hollandaise sauce or with a simple drizzling of Greek extra virgin olive oil, green asparagus are something out of this world. Paired with oranges and a rooibos tea dressing, they are impressive.
I don't know how many of you have tasted rooibos tea but take it from someone who only drinks tea when they have a serious case of sore throat, it is amazing. It is naturally sweet, with a floral and nutty aroma and a vibrant reddish-brown color.
Originating from South Africa and specifically from the small region of Cederberg where the rooibos plant exclusively grows, rooibos tea, meaning red-bush tea, is considered more of an herbal drink rather than "real" tea. It is regarded as extremely healthy due to its high levels of antioxidants and minerals, its lack of caffeine and tannins, and its suggested abilities, among others, to protect against cancer and to improve the immune system.
The leaves of the rooibos plant take on their distinctively red, almost terracotta color during the oxidation and fermentation processes. Non-oxidized leaves of the same plant yield another type of tea, the green rooibos tea which has a lighter color, a milder herbal flavor and far more antioxidants and nutrients than the regular one.
The dressing for this roasted asparagus salad called for a rooibos syrup scented with cinnamon, orange, lemon and honey (be still my heart) and I don't know how to say this without sounding trite but it is p e r f e c t. Simple as that.
As for the rest of the salad, the green asparagus are roasted in the oven just until they're crisp and tender and the juicy oranges are segmented to reveal their lush flesh. Asian flavors are added to the dressing in the form of rice vinegar and sesame oil that give an exotic punch to the salad whereas the ginger, garlic and olive oil perk up the flavor even more. A final sprinkling of toasted peanuts gives added texture to the dish and once you put the first bite into your mouth, you're in for a heck of a ride.
