Judging by the pinking of my neighborhood in cherry and magnolia blossoms, Covid-19 can’t stop spring. And this means vegetables like ramps, green garlic and asparagus have been making their way into the markets, bringing a needed relief from those wintry pantry staples we’ve all been relying on. I may have to wait on a snaking line six feet away from the person ahead of me to get some, but it will thrilling when I do.
Of all the spring produce, asparagus is what I’m most excited about, with verdant, fried egg-topped, Hollandaise-slathered visions crowding my head. On the lighter side, there will also be plenty of plump, steamed stalks drizzled with olive oil and eaten out of hand. Sometimes, I’ll get fancy and toss the spears with herbs, cheese and nuts for a slightly more elaborate salad.
In a perfect, “I can just run to the store for an ingredient” world, I would dress my salad with a lemony shallot vinaigrette, grated young Manchego or pecorino, and top it with toasted pistachios.
That’s what I did when I first made this recipe a few weeks ago, and it was a paragon of springtime loveliness — fresh, sweet, tangy and crunchy from the nuts, which added yet another shade of green to the plate. Satisfying enough for a light lunch or dinner when rounded out with some crusty bread, it was also excellent as a side dish to roast chicken or fish.
But, given the moment we are in, the best part about it may just be that like most salads, it’s extremely flexible. You can use vinegar or lime juice instead of the lemon. Any semifirm variety of cheese that you can grate will work: Cheddar, Gouda, even Parmesan (though that will add more salt, so you might want to use less of it in the dressing). Whatever allium you’ve got — scallions, red onions, a clove of garlic — can stand in the for the shallot.
Even the asparagus isn’t strictly necessary. Broccoli or broccolini would be an excellent substitute, giving the salad a similar crisp juiciness to asparagus when steamed.
Does it feel strange to give a recipe for asparagus salad and then write that the asparagus is negotiable? Maybe. But it’s also practical and, I hope, helpful. Then, when you do get your hands of some gorgeous, purple-tipped asparagus, this recipe will be here, waiting for you.
