Dressing:
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salad:
3 pounds medium asparagus, trimmed
4 cups thinly sliced green onions
3 cups 1/4-inch cubes peeled seeded Kirby or English hothouse cucumbers
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chervil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
For dressing:
Whisk first 5 ingredients in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day
ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature and rewhisk
beforeusing.
For salad:
Fill large bowl with lightly salted ice water; stir until salt dissolves. Cook
asparagus in large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 3
minutes. Drain, reserving 3 cups cooking liquid. Transfer asparagus to bowl of
salted ice water to cool. Place green onions in another large bowl; pour hot
reserved asparagus cooking liquid over onions and let stand until cool, about
30 minutes. Drain asparagus and green onions well. Transfer onions to clean
kitchen towel and squeeze dry. DO AHEAD: Asparagus
and onions can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap separately in several layers of paper
towels, then enclose in resealable plastic bags and refrigerate.
Combine green onions, cucumbers, and herbs in mixing bowl. Add dressing; toss
to coat. Season with salt and pepper.
Arrange asparagus on platter. Spoon cucumber mixture over and serve.
Ingredient tip:
Chervil is an aromatic herb that’s related to parsley. It has lacy, fern-like
leaves and a mild anise flavor. Look for fresh chervil with the rest of the
fresh herbs in the produce section. If you can’t find individually packaged
chervil, it is often one of the fresh herbs included in the packaged
“seafood mix.”
Bon Appétit
March 2008
Scott Peacock