Shaved Raw Asparagus with Lemon Vinaigrette Recipe

Shaved Raw Asparagus with Lemon Vinaigrette

from Christopher Hersheimer and Peggy Knickerbocker's
The San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market Cookbook

Ingredients:

12 Medium-sized aspragus spears. Tough ends snapped off
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 Cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2-Ounce wedge parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Serves 4

This and many other wonderful
recipes may be found
in Christopher Hersheimer and Peggy Knickerbocker's
The San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market Cookbook
from Chronicle Books

Chef Jonathan Waxman serves this spring salad at his restaurant Barbuto, located in a former garage in Manhattan's Meat-Packing District. A mandoline is the best way to shave the spears. If you don't have one, use a sharp chef's knife or a vegetable peeler.

Using a mandoline fitted with the slicing blade, and with the hand guard in place, carefully shave the asparagus lengthwise into long, graceful strips. Place the strips in a bowl and toss with the lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Finally, using a vegetable peeler, shave the cheese over the top. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

Variation:
Shave 1 large fennel bulb and 1 or 2 Belgian endives on the mandoline and toss with the asparagus shavings. You may want to increase the olive oil and cheese to your taste.