Recipe - Alfred Portales Jumbo Asparagus Salad

LEMON VINAIGRETTE
3 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoon Lemon zest
1 tablespoon Sherry vinegar
Salt and white pepper

SALAD WITH PROSCIUTTODE PARM
Three fourths cup Extra virgin olive oil
1 pound Asparagus; jumbo (about 12)
2 Shallots; minced
1 teaspoon Minced fresh thyme leaves
1 One half pound New potatoes; boiled until
tender, cut or sliced up thick
2 tablespoon Minced fresh chives
12 sl Prosciutto de Parma (or
other cured ham; very
thinly cut or sliced up
1 qt Cleaned dried lettuce; torn
into bite sized pieces
1 Piece Parmesan Reggiano
cheese; for shaving
2 Eggs; hard boiled and
separated

Alfred Portale's Jumbo Asparagus Salad with Prosciuttode Parma, Parmesan,
and Lemon Vinaigrette

1. For the vinaigrette, mix lemon juice, zest, vinegar, and salt and pepper
to taste in a medium bowl. Whisk in olive oil and set aside.

2. Bring 1 inch water to boil in a soup kettle. Put asparagus in steamer
basket then carefully place steamer basket in kettle and cover and steam
over mediumhigh heat until asparagus spears bend slightly when picked up
and flesh at cut end yields when squeezed, 4 to 5 minutes for asparagus
under One half inch in diameter, 5 to 6 minutes for the jumbo size. Drain and
plunge spears immediately into ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain
again, cover, and refrigerate until chilled, as long as overnight.

3. In a medium bowl, combine the shallots, thyme, asparagus, cut or sliced up
potatoes, and 1 tablespoon chives. Add One fourth cup vinaigrette toss to coat.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Arrange asparaguspotato mixture with the prosciutto alongside it on 4
large serving plates. Dress lettuces with another One fourth cup vinaigrette, and
arrange a portion on each plate. Use a vegetable peeler to shave Parmesan
curls over each salad. Press eggs through a fine sieve. Sprinkle each salad
with sieved egg and remaining chives, serve immediately with remaining
dressing passed separately.

Cook's Illustrated, May/June 1993, Page 7. Credit: Stephanie Lyness.

Nationality: USA Course: vegetable side dish Season: spring Method: Combo

Start to Finish 1 hour Preparation 30 minutes Attention 30 minutes
Finishing 10 minutes

Converted from Mangia!, Cook's Illustrated 19931995 Cookbook

NOTES : Even though Portale peels, bundles, and cooks his asparagus in
boiling water, we still prefer the steaming method, even for the jumbos. Of
course, large or even medium asparagus can be substituted.
Recipe by: Cook's Illustrated, May/June 1993, Page 7.

Posted to MCRecipe Digest by "Hobbs, D B USO"
hobbs@lbcapo1.uso.unisys.com on Mar 10, 1998