Asparagus and Pecorino Salad

I love asparagus in spring.  I love everything about it.  I could eat it every day of the week if I were allowed to do so.  Over the years I have made asparagus dozens of ways.  Some of my recent favorites include Pan-Roasted Asparagus, Poached Egg & Miso Butter, Roast Asparagus (which can be modified and made hundreds of different ways - one of my favorite variations is to drizzle it with sesame oil and topped with toasted sesame seeds instead of cheese), and the Korean Rice Bowl with Steak, Asparagus and Fried Egg.  I have several recipes picked out that I plan on trying as soon as I can, including Asparagus with Butter and Soy from Cooking in the Moment by Andrea Reusing.  But since it was so hot out today Alex and I decided to make a simple asparagus salad, rather than cooking the asparagus.  The very last thing I wanted to do today was to turn the oven on.  So I shaved up some asparagus and some pecorino romano and tossed them with a lemon vinaigrette.

I can't say that this salad makes my list of favorite asparagus recipes, but it was a nice change from all of the roast asparagus that we generally eat.  Good fresh asparagus is tender, sweet and fresh, with a hint of grassy flavor.  When you roast it the asparagus gets nutty and it loses its grassy flavor along with its subtle sweetness.  In this salad the natural flavors of the asparagus shine through, but it's just missing something.  There is nothing to really bring the salad together.  It's good, but it's not amazing.  And I can't really figure out what I would do to change that... 

Recipe after the jump!

Asparagus and Pecorino Salad

Molto Gusto: Easy Italian Cooking

By Mario Batali and Mark Ladner

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb asparagus, tough bottom ends snapped off

2-3 oz Pecorino Romano

1/4 cup Lemon Vinaigrette

kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper

Using a Benriner (Japanese mandoline) or other vegetable slicer, or a vegetable peeler, thinly shave the asparagus, making long diagonal shavings.  Transfer to a medium bowl.

Shave or thinly slice the pecorino and add to the bowl.  Drizzle with half the vinaigrette, season lightly with s&p, and toss gently.  Serve with the remaining vinaigrette on the side.

Lemon Vinaigrette

Molto Gusto: Easy Italian Cooking

By Mario Batali and Mark Ladner

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tsp lemon marmellata (marmelade) or a generous pinch of grated lemon zest

1/2 cup evoo, preferably Tuscan

Whisk the lemon juice, marmellata, and evoo together in a small bowl.