Spanish Asparagus Salad With Orange And Manchego Cheese - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 cup fresh asparagus spear (or use equivalent amount of frozen asparagus spears, thawed to room temperature)
2 medium oranges
1/2 cup red onion, sliced and cut into crescents
2 tomatoes, ripe but firm, cut into eighths
3 cups romaine leaves, chopped into narrow strips
2 ounces manchego cheese, for garnish (optional)
Salad Dressing
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar
1/2 orange, zest of, finely minced
1 tablespoon reserved orange juice
salt
fresh ground black pepper

Preparation

In large pot of lightly salted boiling water blanch the asparagus spears until green, about 2-3 minutes but no longer. Immediately drain and rinse with cold water to halt the cooking process.
Peel the oranges and cut up into bite-size segments. Save one half of one orange for juicing and zesting.
In a non-reactive small bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, orange zest and 1 tablespoon of orange juice. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk together and set aside.
In a large salad bowl combine the cooked asparagus, red onion, orange segments, tomatoes, and lettuce. Just before serving, pour the dressing over the salad and mix gently to coat.
Add shaved manchego to each salad serving if desired.
Serve with crusty bread.