This green vegetables salad is a great accompanimant to any meat. I have used it with chicken schnitzels, roast pork, turkey and salmon. The striking green colour of the beans, asparagus and peas looks fantastic when presented on the table. The vegetables are served cold drizzled with hot sizzling tangy citrus and chilli butter. I also top the vegetables with strips of fried bacon and toasted slivered almonds. By omitting the bacon you can easily make this a vegetarian dish.

Ingredients

4 bacon rashers, cut into thin strips

2 cups frozen peas

400g green beans, trimmed

2 bunches asparagus (400g), trimmed

1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted

CHILLI CITRUS BUTTER

125g cold butter, chopped

2 tsp finely grated lemon rind

2 tsp finely grated orange rind

1 Tbsp sweet chilli sauce

Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

1. To make chilli citrus butter, combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine well. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
2. Cook bacon in a heated frying pan, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Drain on absorbant paper.
3. Toast the almonds by throwing them on to a heated frying pan, stirring frequently until golden in colour.
4. Boil, steam or microwave peas, beans and asparagus, seperately, until tender. Drain. Arrange vegetables on a platter, mixing lighly. (If cooking the vegetables seperately is too much for you, you can steam them all together, just remember to check frequently which vegetables are ready and to remove them as they become tender in order not to over cook.)
5. Melt chilli citrus butter in a frying pan and when sizzling pour hot over the green vegetables.
6. Sprinkle with bacon and almonds. Serve.