Summer Salad

Fresh goats' cheese and asparagus salad.

A trip to my local farmers' market supplied me with this lovely goats'-cheese log coated in crushed chillies, but plain goats' cheese works fine. For the beetroot, look for jars of baby beetroot pickled in sweet vinegar.

Ingredients (Serves 6)

• Half a bunch of young asparagus spears, cut into bite-sized pieces • 3tbsp olive oil • 140g chopped pancetta • 2 garlic cloves, crushed • 3 pickled baby beetroot, sliced • 1 frisée lettuce • About 200g goats' cheese, sliced or crumbled

Directions

1) Pod the beans and drop into a pan of boiling salted water. 2) Cook for one minute, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. 3) Cook the asparagus in the same water until just tender. Drain. 4) Next, fry the pancetta in half of the oil until brown, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. 5) Add the garlic to the pan and fry until softened. 6) Return the pancetta to the pan with the beetroot and warm through. 7) To serve, divide the pancetta mixture between six plates and top with frisée, beans, asparagus and cheese. 8) Mix a few tablespoons of vinegar from the jar of beetroot to the pan with the remaining oil. 9) Season, then pour over the salads.