There’s (almost) nothing worse than overcooked asparagus. But with my asparagus salad, you’ll never have to worry about that: Shaving the asparagus into thin curls makes it tender enough to eat raw. Crisis averted.
Asparagus is in season between February and June, and at its peak in April. You’ll find the very best at a local farmer’s market.
Select asparagus that are vibrant green, although a purple tint is fine, with tips that are firm, never mushy.
I love the combination of lemon, Parmesan, and cracked pepper with this asparagus salad, but there are lots of other flavors you can try: sun dried tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, mozzarella, or even chopped pistachios.
Serve this as a side salad, or add some roasted shrimp or chicken for a heartier meal.
Food La La Recipe: Shaved Asparagus Salad
Serves: 3 (as side dish)
Ingredients:
- About 25 large, raw asparagus (around 160 grams)
- 2 TBS olive oil
- 1.5 TBS lemon juice (you’ll need 1 lemon)
- ¼ cup crumbled or shaved parmesan cheese
- Sea salt
- Fresh ground pepper
Steps:
- Wash and dry asparagus, then trim away bottom inch.
- Hold the bottom of one asparagus spear, and using a vegetable peeler, slide away from you toward the tip of the asparagus to create a long thin shaving. Place shaving in a bowl.
- After a few shavings, rotate the asparagus and repeat until it’s too thin to shave and add to bowl. You may shave the tips too, or just snap them off and add them to bowl. (They’re tender enough to eat without being shaved)
- In a separate bowl, make dressing: whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice. Add parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper.
- Pour dressing over asparagus and toss.
