Spring Asparagus Salad with Eggs

Hello and welcome! Today’s recipe is based on a classic Italian Asparagus Salad. Spring is such a magical time; the sprouting of flowers and leaves on the trees; the greening up of our yards, towns and cities. The arrival of more local produce at the farmer’s market, our co-ops and grocery stores. One of our favorites is asparagus, so today’s recipe puts asparagus on the main stage: Spring Asparagus Salad with Eggs.

I found this recipe kind of by accident, and I am so happy I came across it because it is a new favorite. Originally by Martha Rose Shulman, it is a simple, yet flavorful combination of lightly steamed asparagus, with fresh parsley and minced hardboiled eggs, dressed in an olive oil vinaigrette. The one tweak I made was to add three tablespoons of vinegar, rather than the two called for in the recipe. I wanted a vinaigrette with a little more pucker.

Start by hard-boiling two eggs and let them cool in an ice bath large enough to hold the asparagus when they come off the steamer. Trim off the woody ends of the asparagus. We will steam the asparagus for 3-5 minutes, depending on how much snap you like in your cooked asparagus. Pull them off the steam and transfer to the ice bath.

The Vinaigrette

The vinaigrette is super simple. In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Whisk until the mixture is emulsified and thickens slightly.

Pro Tip

If you’re a fan of salads and making your own vinaigrettes, explore varieties of flavored vinegar. There are so many wonderfully flavored varieties of vinegar. You can get really creative and change up the flavor profile of your dressings by swapping a flavored vinegar in your favorite vinaigrette recipes, without muss or fuss. I really like the O California Brand.

Salad Assembly

Slice the asparagus into 1/2-inch pieces and set aside. Chop fresh parsley. For the eggs, peel them and slice them in half. We will chop the whites separate from the yolks because they are texturally so different. If we chop them together, the yolks will tend to mash into the whites, and we want them to be more crumbly and light. Rinse and mince the capers.

Add the asparagus to the vinaigrette and toss well to coat the asparagus. Then add the parsley; then the capers. toss this together to mix well.

Lastly, we will add the minced egg whites and yolks.

Gently stir this together so as not to mash the yolks too much, just to coat and thoroughly incorporate the eggs.

Plate it Up!

Then plate it up. I topped the plated salad with some flaky sea salt, fresh cracked pepper and a little more chopped parsley.

This salad is light and refreshing, the olive oil vinaigrette gives it a silky richness that is balanced with the champagne vinegar and the briny pop of the capers. Instead of vinegar, you can substitute with fresh lemon juice, which I think would give it a wonderfully bright flavor. If you wanted to make this a light meal or lunch, I could see piling the salad on a thick slice of crusty toasted bread – a flavorful asparagus toast. Want to make it vegan? Swap out the eggs for slightly smashed white beans or chickpeas.

Thank you for stopping by today! I hope you give this Spring Asparagus Salad with Eggs a try, it was a really nice surprise! A fresh, new-to-me way to use asparagus that will surely find a place on my table all spring. Recently, I featured an Asparagus Radish and Pecorino Avocado Toast, you should check out that recipe for another great way to feature asparagus. Remember you can always find me on Instagram for more!

I am taking a break tomorrow for the Easter holiday, so Sunday Supper will not be posted, but we will back Monday with a great recipe for scallops! Take care and be well, everyone, happy Easter! xo Kelly

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Spring Asparagus Salad with Eggs

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Side Dish, Salad – Italian

By Original Recipe by Martha Rose Shulman – Serves: 2-4

Prep Time: 20 Minutes – Cooking Time: 5 Minutes – Total Time: 25 Minutes

Italian Asparagus Salad is refreshing and light; olive oil vinaigrette gives it a silky richness balanced with the briny pop of capers.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. Asparagus
• 2 Hard-Boiled Eggs
• 2-3 tbsp. Champagne Vinegar or Sherry Vinegar, or 1 tablespoon each fresh lemon juice and vinegar
• ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 tsp. Capers, rinsed and chopped
• 2 tbsp. Chopped Fresh Parsley, or a mixture of parsley, chives and tarragon
• Kosher Salt
• Freshly Ground Pepper to taste
• Flaky Sea Salt, for finishing

Instructions

1

Cut the woody ends off the asparagus. Steam for three to five minutes.

2

Refresh asparagus in an ice bath, then drain and dry on paper towels. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces.

3

Cut the boiled eggs in half, mince the yolks and whites separately.

4

In a salad bowl, whisk together the vinegar (or lemon juice and vinegar) and olive oil.

5

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

6

Add the asparagus, capers and herbs, and toss together.

7

Add the chopped egg yolks and whites, then toss together again and serve.

8

Top servings with more chopped parsley, flaky sea salt and more fresh cracked pepper to taste.

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