SALAD, RAW ASPARAGUS

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In the spring when asparagus starts hitting the market from our local farms, we get excited. We like to use and eat as much of it as we can during the short local season. Therefore we are always trying new recipes for this incredible vegetable. This one is one of our favorite raw versions. Change out the nut ingredient with marcona almonds or whatever you have. But Marcona almonds are the favorite. Another alternative is to use preseved lemon in place of the zest, and diminish the added salt. We suggest 1 tablespoon of fresh mint, chopped, and a splash of sherry vinegar with these changes.

Raw asparagus salad ingredients

In foreground, fresh raw asparagus with marcona almonds and blood orange salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound or more raw asparagus (freshest), cleaned, bottoms, trimmed, peeled if preferred, and thinly sliced on the bias using very sharp knife and a sharp angle on the bias cut

  • 1/2 cup Marcona almonds, chopped or toasted walnuts, chopped, optional
  • orange sections from one or two oranges, blood oranges are a favorite, or sub strawberries if in season
  • 2 tablespoons EVOO
  • zest of 1/2 lemon, minced, or sub 1 tablespoon preserved lemon, chopped
  • Season with salt, pepper, coriander (if using preserved lemon, don't add extra salt right away
  • 2 cups favorite micro greens, or watercress or spinach, stems removed, optional especially if you have plenty of asparagus

Method:

Toss all together. Adjust for seasoning. Serve immediately.

Alternatives: Just remember what grows together goes together so any veggie that is in season the same time as asparagus can be used in this salad; we like both citrus (end of season) and strawberries (same season). In addition when we add preserved lemon we also like the fresh flavor of mint with that.  Add a little chopped ham or natural bacon, to increase protein and make it a dinner salad. Bacon is always in season!






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