Warm Asparagus Salad with Crispy Pancetta, Toasted Sunflower Seeds, Shaved Beemster Goat Gouda, and Herb Garlic Lemon Butter

Prep: 30 minutes • Serves: 2

1. First trim the asparagus and peel each one with a peeler leaving the tip intact. In a pot of boiling salted water cook the asparagus for roughly 4 – 5 minutes so that they become tender. Remove from the boiling water and place into a bowl of ice water to cool them down all the way. After cooling drain them of the water and pat dry.

2. Add the butter into a warm saute pan with the pancetta and slowly saute until the Italian bacon becomes crispy. Add the asparagus into the pan and gently cook them with the bacon until they become hot.

3. Season the asparagus with a touch of salt & pepper, the fresh thyme, and the squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

4. Remove the asparagus from the pan and place onto a plate. Garnish with the toasted sunflower seeds and shaved Gouda Cheese adding the remnants from the pan being the crispy pancetta and the butter mixture as a sauce.

5. Enjoy!