Asparagus and Tomato Salad →

Meo culpa! When I was a child, we had a patch of asparagus growing in the backyard. I didn’t particularly like asparagus then and for years I diligently mowed down that asparagus every year, but the hardy grass that it is, it kept coming back year after year! My tastes have changed over the years. Now I love asparagus and I’m lucky enough to live next door to Hadley, Massachusetts where they grow world-famous Hadley Asparagus. Every Spring we eagerly await the first batches of asparagus to arrive at the local farm stands. Local asparagus snobs say asparagus isn’t worth eating if it’s more than a day or two old. Whether or not you buy into that perspective, this refreshing salad is best made with really fresh asparagus. If you can’t get fresh local asparagus and have to rely on supermarket asparagus from far away, try coating the asparagus with a bit of olive oil and grill or bake it until crisp-tender.

Serves 4
Ingredients:

• 1 pound asparagus

• 1/3 cup coarsely grated Cotija cheese (or substitute fried Halloumi, or Feta)

• 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes

• Torn basil leaves for garnish

Vinaigrette:

• ¼ cup white wine vinegar (or rice wine vinegar)

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

• 1 grated or finely minced garlic clove

• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Preparation:

1. Steam the asparagus until barely fork tender. (about 3-4 minutes)
2. Toss the asparagus and tomatoes with vinaigrette to coat.
3. Sprinkle the cheese on top and garnish with torn basil leaves
4. Salt and pepper to individual taste

Wine pairing: I prefer Sauvignon Blanc with asparagus. Here’s what “Food and Wine Magazine” has to say about wine and asparagus: https://www.foodandwine.com/vegetables/asparagus/the-truth-about-wine-and-asparagus

Wedge Salad Redux →

The Wedge Salad has taken a bad rap over time for not using more “healthy greens”, but it does what it is intended to do and that is to please. Salty, savory, crunchy, refreshing, tart...it’s all in there. However, although the classic Wedge Salad is impressive to behold, if slicing through a quarter of a head of iceberg lettuce doesn’t appeal to you and your guests, try the Wedge Salad Redux. Your guests will get all the pleasure of the Wedge, but with half the work!

Serves 4

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2019
Wedge Salad Redux

Ingredients:

• 8-12 cherry tomatoes cut in half (up to you)

• 1 small shallot, peeled and diced, approximately 2 tablespoons

• 3 slices bacon

• 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 4 ounces blue cheese, like Roquefort, crumbled

• 2-3 tablespoons of buttermilk

• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise

• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil

• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (or to taste)

• ½ teaspoon lemon juice

• 1 dash Worcestershire sauce, to taste

• 1/2 head of iceberg lettuce, the outer leaves removed, rinsed and dried, cored, and coarsely chopped.

• 12 very thinly sliced red onion slices

• 1 tablespoon finely minced chives to garnish

Preparation:

1. Combine the tomatoes, shallots, and vinegar in a small bowl, and shower with salt and black pepper to taste. Set aside.

2. Cook the bacon in a sauté pan until crisp on both sides, then drain on a paper towel. Crumble when cool, and set aside.

3. Make the dressing. Put half the cheese into a medium-size bowl, and mash with a whisk. Add the buttermilk, mayonnaise, olive oil, hot sauce, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce, then mash and whisk the dressing until it is mostly smooth. You may wish for a little more hot sauce, lemon juice or Worcestershire, to taste. Then whisk again, and set aside.*(Alternatively, if you have a mini-food-processor, throw all the ingredients in #3 above into the processor and process until you have a chunky dressing. Voila!)

4. Assemble the chopped iceberg evenly on four small plates; gently spoon dressing over each. (*Alternatively, you can put the chopped iceberg in a large bowl and toss it with the dressing before you plate it.)

5. Sprinkle each salad with crumbled bacon, the dressed tomato halves, onion slices, and some minced chives.

6. Freshly ground black pepper to individual taste.

Serve with crusty bread and no guilt. Your guests will thank you. Enjoy!