Grilled Asparagus and Beet Salad with Honey Mustard

A bright German spring salad of roasted asparagus and beet balls with Black Forest–style ham, Cambozola, pine nuts, and a tangy honey-mustard vinaigrette—served with warm, cheesy rye toast points.

Servings

Ingredients

20 young pencil-thin green asparagus spears washed and trimmed
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp German vinegar
2 tsp German honey
2 tsp German sweet mustard
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp minced shallots
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup olive oil
6 cups European Salad mix pre-washed and trimmed
1 jar German red beet balls drained, 19 oz
4 oz Black Forest-style ham or German prosciutto sliced paper-thin
6 oz German Cambozola cheese crumbled and divided
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
4 slices toasted German bread whole rye, Fitnessbrot, sunflower seed or pumpernickel
2 tbsp butter

Instructions

Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper, line up the asparagus on the paper and brush with olive oil. Roast in preheated oven at 400 degrees F for six minutes.
Combine vinegar, honey, mustard, lemon juice, shallots, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil to blend.
Line four salad plates with European salad mix. Divide the beets among the plates; attractively roll and arrange the ham or prosciutto on each salad.
Top each salad with five spears of grilled asparagus. Crumble 2 oz of the Cambozola cheese over the salads and top with pine nuts. Stir vinaigrette and adjust seasoning, if desired; drizzle over salads.
Butter the toasted bread; cut each slice in half and then in half diagonally to form two triangles. Sprinkle the toast points with the remaining 4 oz Cambozola and place in hot oven just to soften and warm cheese.
Place four triangles attractively around each salad. Enjoy with a glass of crisp German Riesling wine.

Notes

Tips for best results

Don’t overcook the asparagus: six minutes at 400°F keeps it tender-crisp and bright.
Whisk the oil in slowly: this emulsifies the honey-mustard dressing so it clings to greens and beets instead of pooling.
Use paper-thin ham: it rolls beautifully and makes the salad feel “restaurant level” without extra work.
Warm the Cambozola toast right before serving so it stays creamy and doesn’t melt away completely.

Course: Entree, Salad

Keyword: Asparagus, Beet, Black Forest ham, Cambozola, grilled, Mixed salad greens, Pine nuts