Roasted Asparagus Salad with Chevre and Honey

The farmer's markets are in full spring mode right now here in Toronto and the main seasonal items on offer are asparagus, rhubarb...and this week Ontario's first strawberries of the year.  Of course I bought some of each, as well as a nice assortment of herbs from my usual place in the North Market.

I am finding that I really enjoy going back to the same vendors week after week seeing what they've brought in with them.  The fellow I usually get my potatoes from (purple fingerlings are my current fave) was telling me today that he has been bringing his produce to the St. Lawrence Saturday Farmer's Market for 37 years!

There is another vendor outside the Market on Jarvis that I like to get tomatoes from (esp. the multi-coloured cherry tomatoes) and now I have a few options for strawberries.  I am thinking of picking up a flat next Saturday since we don't have any plans and $30 plus some work will get me a good amount of strawberry jam.

Today I bought for bundles of Ontario asparagus at $1 each.  Quite a bargain for what I'd likely pay $7-$9 for in a grocery store and THAT asparagus still comes from Peru.    Incidentally in case you wondered, asparagus is NOT native to Peru....go figure right?  However, in the early 90's Peru was granted tariff-free access to U.S. markets as part of the U.S. war on drugs. Basically the U.S. encouraged growing asparagus to deter the growth of coca - the basis for cocaine.  Now most of the off-season asparagus you see is from Peru instead of California.  Both have year-round growing conditions but the prices that Peruvian farmers can sell for in the market eclipses U.S. production costs - they just can't compete.

Roasted Asparagus Salad with Chevre and Honey

5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
1/2 small log chevre (goat cheese), crumbled
2 bunches of green asparagus
3 cups arugula

1 tablespoon honey

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

To make the dressing, beat together 4 tablespoons olive oil with the vinegar and mustard. Season to taste with salt & pepper.  Set aside.  Roast the pine nuts in a non-stick frying pan until golden brown.  Crumble goat cheese. Set aside.

Trim the bottoms of the asparagus stalks to remove any woody bits.  You can do this using a knife or just by bending the asparagus spear at the base and it will snap where it is freshest.  Lay asparagus in an oven safe casserole, and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Add a little pinch of salt and pepper.

Roast in the oven for about 8-10 minutes (depending on the thickness of the spears) until spears are cooked but still crispy.

To serve, arrange the arugula on a platter and sprinkle with salad dressing. Now place the asparagus on top and sprinkle with a bit more of the dressing.  Top with crumbled chevre, pine nuts and a drizzle of honey.