Wild herb salad with raw marinated asparagus, cherry tomatoes and mackerel fillets by Thomas Vetter

The way to the heart is through the stomach... Yes, yes... But there must be something to that saying, because after all, my sister Anaïs fell in love with a chef a few years ago... They now have a little daughter and we other family members are fortunate enough to enjoy his creations from time to time. We really could have done worse...

Thomas Vetter is a master chef from Flensburg and can look back on many years of experience as a chef at home and abroad. He was particularly taken with the fish cuisine – as is to be expected with such a northern light.

His latest recipe combines this preference with what is probably the most spring-like vegetable of all: asparagus. We are absolutely delighted with this not only delicious, but also colorful creation and recommend everyone who wants to try something different than asparagus with potatoes and hollandaise sauce to be inspired by it the next time they shop for asparagus.

Ingredients for 4 persons)

• 1 pack of wild herb salad, of your choice
• 2-3 cans of mackerel in olive oil, lemon and pepper from la Belle-Iloise
• 1 bunch of white asparagus
• 1 bunch of green asparagus
• 1 orange
• 1 lime
• 3-4 tbsp olive oil
• 2-3 tbsp vinegar
• 8 cherry tomatoes
• 3 sprigs of thyme (chopped)
• 2 sprigs of rosemary (chopped)
• 2 garlic cloves (crushed)
• salt & pepper , sugar

preparation
Peel the white asparagus, cut approx. 1cm from the lower end and then use a vegetable peeler or, if you have a mandolin (kitchen utensil), to peel fine whole slices of asparagus into a bowl. Repeat the same with the green asparagus and mix both asparagus together.

Now prepare a marinade of olive oil, vinegar, some salt, pepper and sugar, pour the whole thing over the asparagus, mix carefully and leave to stand for about 20 minutes.
Fry the cherry tomatoes in a hot pan with a little olive oil until they burst. Now take the pan off the heat and season the tomatoes with the herbs, garlic, a little salt and pepper and toss them together so that the flavors are distributed nicely.

Mix the zest of one orange and lime into the asparagus salad and season again. You can now use the oil from the mackerel to marinate the wild herb salad.

Arrange both salads nicely and serve with the mackerel. Bon Appetit!

Our wine recommendation: the rosé

Contraste Douro Rosé 2015 . The Contraste rosé is fresh, refreshing and lively. The color is intense and bright and in the mouth the wine is dense and complex with great elegance. The finish is medium-long and fruity.