Grüner Veltliner – Lemony Asparagus Salad With Shaved Cheese and Nuts
Ingredients
- ¾ cup pistachios or other nuts
- 1 pound asparagus, woody ends trimmed
- ½ cup plus 3 tablespoons soft herbs, such as dill, parsley and tarragon, or a combination
- 3 tablespoons minced shallots, red onion or scallion
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice (or cider vinegar)
- Large pinch of kosher salt, plus more as needed
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- ¾ cup coarsely grated cheese (1 1/2 ounces), preferably a young sheep’s milk, such as pecorino or Manchego, but any firm cheese works, plus more for serving
Directions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, spread pistachios in an even layer and toast for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool enough to handle, then roughly chop.
- Meanwhile, fill a large skillet with 1-inch water. Place steam basket on top, cover and bring to a simmer. Steam asparagus until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain.
- Finely chop 3 tablespoons mixed soft herbs. In a medium bowl, combine shallot, lemon juice, a pinch of salt and the pepper, and let sit for 2 minutes. Whisk in oil, then stir in pistachios, cheese and chopped herbs.
- To serve, drizzle asparagus with oil and salt to taste. Dollop with dressing, tear remaining 1/2 cup herbs on top, and sprinkle generously with more cheese. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
This Recipe is from Melissa Clark via New York Times
She has a great piece on how to riff and make this salad meet the ingredients you have available. You can find the story HERE