I knew exactly the recipe I would make with those pristine spears, one that would truly allow them to shine in all their earthy glory: Joshua McFadden’s raw asparagus salad with bread crumbs, walnuts, and parmesan from his book Six Seasons. I’ve made this salad many times over the years, and, as with all of the recipes I’ve made from Six Seasons — which is a lot — this one is as delicious, as addictive, and as impossible to stop eating. I’ve quoted this passage from the book before, but in case you’ve forgotten, let me refresh: When creating a dish, Joshua’s goal is for it “to taste like a potato chip,” meaning it should be “so tasty and savory that you can’t help but take one more bite…and then another.” You will experience this upon tucking into this one. In this recipe, the “dressing,” a mix of toasted bread crumbs, walnuts, parmesan, fresh lemon, and olive oil, is what keeps you going back for more — it’s textured, highly acidic, and has a nice kick thanks to a hefty amount of crushed red pepper flakes. The original recipe calls for mint, too, but I didn’t have any yesterday, didn’t feel like running out to get some, and, as it turned out, didn’t miss it! Hope you all love this one as much as I do. I’ve included a few more favorite asparagus recipes below. PS: Go-To Cucumber Salad
5 Favorite Asparagus Recipes
Mark Bittman’s Super Asparagus-y Farro Risotto Shaved Asparagus and Fennel Salad with Avocado Spring Wheatberry Salad Shaved Asparagus and Arugula Salad Pasta Carbonara with Asparagus
Raw Asparagus Salad, Step by Step
Gather your asparagus. You need about a pound for this. Trim away any tough ends. Slice the stalks thinly on the bias. Meanwhile, toast up some stale bread (whizzed in the food processor) with a few tablespoons of olive oil. You only need 1/3 cup of toasted bread crumbs for this recipe, but I find it easier to make a large batch of crumbs than a small one. Save the remaining crumbs for other salads, soups, or eggs. They’re irresistible! Combine in a large bowl: toasted walnuts, grated parmesan, bread crumbs, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Add the asparagus and dress with fresh squeezed lemon juice. Taste. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Then add the olive oil. Toss to combine. The original recipe calls for mint, too. Add it if you have it, but don’t worry if you don’t. Transfer to a platter and serve. 5 from 52 reviews Notes: Bread Crumbs: I love whizzing up stale bread in the food processor and toasting the crumbs in olive oil. If you’re not up for this, panko bread crumbs would be fine. I would still toast them in olive oil before adding them to the salad. You also could omit the bread crumbs and add more walnuts in their place. Also: You only need 1/3 cup of toasted bread crumbs for this recipe, but I find it easier to make a large batch of crumbs than a small one. Save the remaining crumbs for other salads, soups, or eggs. They’re irresistible!
