This warm salad showcases our seasonal best right now; Asparagus and Jersey Royal new potatoes. I’ve written about asparagus already and Jersey Royals really don’t need an introduction (a bit like The Queen). The UK summer hasn’t really got off to a great start (typical, really) but this salad will inject some much needed sunshine into your life (regardless of where you live and whether you want it or not!) with simple, fresh ingredients; grilled free range chicken breasts, sun dried tomatoes, mixed salad leaves and little quail eggs, teaming  up with the asparagus and Jersey spuds to produce a winning combo. Wash down with a glass (or two) of white wine or pale ale, put on your favourite festival tunes and it may just feel like summer is here afterall.

For two people you will need;

2 free range chicken breasts

a handful of Jersey Royals (enough for two people)

150g fine stem asparagus (snap off the bases)

1 clove chopped garlic

6 quail eggs

sun dried tomatoes

45g mixed baby salad leaves

splash of white wine

Method;

Grill your chicken breasts following instructions on pack or from butcher

Whilst your chicken is grillin’, parboil your Jersey royals for around 8 minutes, adding your asparagus for the last 5 minutes then drain and slice the potatoes

Heat your finely chopped garlic with a little oil in a frying pan then add your asparagus and sliced potatoes and fry, add a splash of white wine (just a small splash!), cook off and reduce the heat

Once grilled, leave your chicken to rest for a bit and then slice

To poach the quail eggs, place (in their shells) in a pan of gently boiling water for 1 minute, then take of the heat and leave for 30 seconds before removing from the water and peeling off the shells. They should be soft boiled, but I took my eye off for a second and lost my timing! Although they do taste great hard boiled too

In a large mixing bowl, add the mixed leaves, a small handful of sun dried tomatoes, the asparagus and potatoes and the chicken with its yummy juices

Mix together then serve, placing the eggs on top

Try and imagine this with the egg yolk oozing out and coating the other ingredients…

I won’t get distracted next time!