I have a passion for asparagus in season. This is asparagus I bought at The Boys Market here in Delray Beach. It was fresh tasting as it should be. However, the asparagus I had at my son's house last week was amazing. First of all, he lives in a rural area in New York State so spring is still cool there unlike here in Florida where it is already hot and humid. Second of all, we purchased it at The Carrot Barn, where they had just picked the asparagus in the field behind the store. It couldn't have been fresher unless we had grown it ourselves. I like fatter spears of asparagus and usually peel them, as I did for the dish above. Sometimes about halfway through peeling asparagus for a crowd, I wonder why I started it. Then when it is served, I remember why it is worth it. But the asparagus from The Carrot Barn was thick but so fresh we didn't have to peel it. I don't think we even broke the ends off of the bottom.
The other passion is in the salad dressing. A few years ago, I found a recipe in Bon Appetit and adapted it to my taste and to make it fat-free (almost). I placed the asparagus over a bed of torn fresh spinach leaves and garnished it all with slices of red onion.
Passion Fruit Vinaigrette
3 tablespoons frozen passion fruit juice concentrate
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 tablespoon raspberry vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon whole coriander seeds, coarsely ground
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper
Whisk all ingredients together. Drizzle over salad.
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