Shaved Asparagus Salad with Mint & Hazelnuts
We made this recipe three times in one week! It’s our new go-to asparagus season salad. Make it at home or take it to your next picnic or garden party. It’s simple, refreshing, and pairs well with grilled fish or steak...and a crisp, cold glass of rosé.
We adapted this salad from a Food52 recipe and added our own spin on it by using Desert Provisions Meyer Lemon Salt for the vinaigrette and cutting the amount of dressing in half. Pro tip: make the dressing 1-2 days in advance to let the flavors blend together.
This salad calls for just a few quality ingredients, so be sure to use the freshest products you can find.
Adapted from this Food52 recipe
Takes 15 minutes
Serves 2
Salad
1 bunch fresh asparagus (about 12-15 stalks)
6 fresh mint leaves, chiffonade
2 tbsp Oregon hazelnuts, chopped and roasted
Shaved Parmesan to taste
Vinaigrette
1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon
2 tbsp dry sherry
1 tsp Desert Provisions Sonoran Sea Salt or Meyer Lemon Salt
1/4 tsp honey
Roast coarsely chopped hazelnuts until they start to become fragrant and set aside to cool. I like to roast mine in a cast iron skillet for 2-4 minutes on med-high heat. You can also buy them already roasted. One simple method to “chop” the hazelnuts before roasting is to put them in a plastic bag and roll a thick glass over the top.
While nuts are cooling, thinly shave asparagus into long ribbons. You can use a vegetable peeler and if you place each stalk on the back of a wooden spoon you can easily shave at an angle to harvest all of the stalk. Place ribbons in bowl with mint and hazelnuts. Whisk all ingredients for vinaigrette and toss to fully dress salad. Top with shaved Parmesan to taste. I say the more the merrier when it comes to the Parm. It adds a salty, nutty taste that pairs perfectly with the hazelnuts. Serve immediately once dressed.
Cook's notes: Hazelnuts are commonly referred to as filberts and can be found at most grocery stores or specialty markets. Check out the bulk section if you can’t find them with the rest of the packaged nuts. They are the state nut of Oregon and add a deep nutty flavor to dishes. Plus, they are high in vitamin E. If you aren’t a hazelnut person, you can use walnuts or almonds.
You can prep most of the ingredients in advance for this recipe (chiffonade mint right before serving). Just keep them all separate until you are ready to toss and serve.
