Shaving asparagus super thin is a great way to enjoy it raw. This Shaved Asparagus Salad is especially gorgeous when you can find green and purple spears. Add white ones too, if you find them. Lemon contributes brightness, and rustic croutons and almonds both add texture. If you’d like, feta crumbles could be scattered over it too. A buttery, nutty, full-bodied Meursault would pair well here. Its notable palate presence will stand up to the vinaigrette as well as to the earthy crunch of raw asparagus.
Print
Shaved Asparagus Salad
- Yield: Serves 4 or more 1x
Description
Let asparagus show you how a salad is done right!
Ingredients
Scale
For the croutons:
- 4 to 6 oz ciabatta or peasant bread, torn in bite size pieces
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
For the lemon-mustard vinaigrette:
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 medium shallot, minced
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- Zest of 1 lemon with 2 tbsp juice
- Kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper
For the asparagus:
- 2 lb fat asparagus
- Handful or 2 of arugula leaves
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted in a dry skillet
Instructions
For the croutons:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine the bread pieces with the oil and arrange on a small baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for about 10 minutes, stirring once, until golden brown and crunchy. Let cool on the baking sheet.
For the lemon-mustard vinaigrette:
- Combine the vinegar and shallot in a small bowl. Let sit 5 to 10 minutes, for the shallot’s flavor to mellow a bit.
- Stir in the mustard. Whisk in the oil in a steady stream, then add one-half of the lemon zest (reserve the rest to garnish the salad) and the lemon juice and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
For the asparagus:
- Snap or cut off the woody stems. Run a vegetable peeler the length of each spear, making as many shavings as possible.
- Pile up the asparagus shavings neatly on a platter or individual plates. Tuck a few arugula leaves around the edges.
- Drizzle with about two-thirds of the dressing. Scatter with almonds, remaining lemon zest, and croutons.
- Serve right away with additional dressing, if you wish.
Recipes and Story by Cheryl Alters Jamison
Styling by Keith Recker
Preparation by Jackie Page
Photography by Dave Bryce
Subscribe to TABLE Magazine‘s print edition.
