Asparagus, almonds, spiced quail eggs and shiitake with miso dressing

Name: Asparagus, almonds, spiced quail eggs and shiitake with miso dressing
Ingredients: 1 handful salad leaves (I used pea shoots); 1 tbsp lemon juice; 800 g (1 lb. 12 oz.) asparagus; 1 handful salad leaves (I used pea shoots); 1 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tbsp mirin; 100 g (3½ oz./⅔ cup) almonds, toasted and roughly chopped (I used delicious marcona almonds from Spain); 100 g (3½ oz./⅔ cup) almonds, toasted and roughly chopped (I used delicious marcona almonds from Spain); ½ tsp nigella seeds; ¼ tsp cumin seeds; 1 tsp coriander seeds; 1 tbsp white vinegar; 300 g (10½ oz.) fresh shiitake mushrooms, stalks removed and discarded; ¼ tsp fennel seeds; 12 quail eggs; 1 tbsp miso paste (I used shiromiso); 1 tbsp miso paste (I used shiromiso); 2 tsp finely chopped or grated ginger; 2 tsp finely chopped or grated ginger

Preparation info

For
4
as a starter

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Savour

By Peter Gordon

Published 2016

About

This is a really pretty, elegant salad full of popping tastes and contrasting textures. Quail eggs are tricky things to peel – use your fingernails and a small sharp knife – but well worth the effort. If you can’t get them, then use hen’s eggs and serve one per person.

Ingredients

1 tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp nigella seeds
¼ tsp

Starter
Vegetarian

Method

Lightly toast the coriander, nigella, cumin and fennel seeds in a dry frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat until they become aromatic. Leave to cool. Add ½ teaspoon of flaky salt and grind the spices in a spice grinder or using a mortar and pestle.

Place the quail eggs in a pan large enoug