Give asparagus an extra dose of flavour by dressing it up with gribiche, cherry tomatoes or bacon aïoli.

INGREDIENTS

Grilled Asparagus

• 1 1/2 lbs asparagus, trimmed
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Gribiche

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp finely chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as parsley, dill, chives or chervil
• 1 tsp grated lemon zest
• 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tsp rinsed and chopped capers
• 1 hard-boiled egg, grated
• Kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Cherry Tomato Basil Salad

• 1 1/2 cups tricoloured cherry tomatoes, halved 
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 large basil leaves, torn
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Bacon Aïoli

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp warm bacon fat
• 4 slices cooked bacon, finely chopped
• 1 tsp grated lemon zest
• 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Grilled Asparagus

1 Prepare a grill for direct cooking over medium heat.

2 Toss the asparagus spears with the oil, season lightly with salt and pepper and grill until the asparagus is fork-tender and nicely charred. Serve the asparagus with the following topping of your choice.

Serves: 6

Gribiche

1 Stir together the mayonnaise, herbs, lemon zest and juice, capers and egg in a bowl until blended. Season with salt and pepper, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes: 1/2 cup

Cherry Tomato Basil Salad

1 In a medium bowl, toss together the tomatoes, oil, basil and red pepper flakes until well mixed. Season with salt and pepper. Let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving. 

Makes: 1 1/2 cup

Bacon Aïoli

1 In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and bacon fat. Whisk in the bacon, lemon zest and juice, mustard and garlic until blended. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes: 3/4 cup

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Excerpted from Farm to Chef by Lynn Crawford, Copyright © 2017. Photography Copyright © 2017 by Virginia MacDonald. Excerpted by permission of Penguin Canada. All rights reserved.