Serious Salads
2013-04-10-asparagus-caesar-salad.jpg

I know it may sound strange, but crisp raw asparagus makes a wonderful salad. Here, it's chopped into bite-sized pieces and tossed with a creamy Caesar vinaigrette and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Thanks to Shauna Sever, from the popular Piece of Cake blog, for inspiring this recipe.

About the author: Jennifer Segal is the chef behind the popular food blog, Once Upon a Chef.

Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!

About This Recipe

Yield: Serves 4 to 6 as a side
Active time: 15 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 bunches (or about 2 pounds) pencil-thin asparagus, tough ends trimmed and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from 1 lemon
  • 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon anchovy paste (or 1 anchovy filet)
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Procedures

  1. Combine mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and anchovy paste in a blender. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl. Whisking constantly, add the olive oil in a thin, steady stream until incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

  2. In a medium bowl, toss the asparagus with the dressing. Transfer to a serving platter and top with the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.