Shaved Asparagus Salad with Manchego and Almonds
Rhea's Rundown
This salad makes the perfect light lunch and only takes about 20 minutes to make! Don’t let the simplicity of this dish fool you, I thoroughly enjoyed this salad even beyond my own expectations. Fresh garlic, walnut olive oil, and sherry vinegar infuse this meal with a wonderfully subtle and complimentary flavor profile. Surprisingly, the asparagus isn’t even cooked which means the maximum nutritional benefits. Make shaving the asparagus a cinch with the Kuhn Rikon peeler. (As seen in the Delights as Far as the Eye Can Sea column.) Be careful when selecting the asparagus; it’s best to go with a bunch that has a thicker width to make life easier when shaving them. Also try not to leave the asparagus in the dressing too long, as it will wilt them to the point of mush. This might mean holding off on tossing the asparagus in the dressing until you’ve had a chance to poach the eggs first. I added a dash of paprika, a little lemon zest, and an extra drizzle of Walnut infused premium olive oil from Season’s Olive Oil and Vinegar Taproom for the finishing touch.
Ingredients – Serves 4
- 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoons walnut oil
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound large asparagus
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 8 cups water
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tablespoon slivered almonds, toasted
- 1 ounce Manchego cheese, shaved
Directions
1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Using a sharp peeler, thinly peel asparagus to equal 3 cups asparagus ribbons. Add asparagus and parsley to bowl; toss gently to coat.
2. Combine 8 cups water with white vinegar in a large skillet; ing to a simmer. Break each egg into a custard cup, and pour each gently into pan. Cook 3 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Remove eggs from pan using a slotted spoon.
3. Place about 2/3 cup asparagus mixture on each of 4 plates. Sprinkle each serving with 1 ½ teaspoons slivered almonds; top each serving with 1 egg. Sprinkle evenly with Manchego cheese.
“Shaved Asparagus Salad with Manchego and Almonds.” The Best of Cooking Light: 97 All-Time Top-Rated Recipes. Time Inc. Lifestyle Group. 2014. Print.
Rhea Torreon
