CHEF JOHN'S SHAVED ASPARAGUS SALAD

Chef John's Shaved Asparagus Salad image

When you shave asparagus thin with a peeler and give it a quick curing/pickling in the mustard dressing, the harsh attributes mellow out substantially, and the sweet, grassy flavor comes through. In fact, it was so delicious that I contemplated serving it without the fried meat. Happily, that passed.

Provided by Chef John

Categories Salad Vegetable Salad Recipes Asparagus Salad Recipes

Time 20m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 8

Ingredients

2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons olive oil, or more to taste
24 large asparagus spears
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon vegetable oil, or as needed
4 ounces pastrami, sliced into thin strips

Steps:

Whisk vinegar and mustard together in a mixing bowl. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking rapidly until the dressing is thick and creamy.
Hold an asparagus stalk at the stem, tip pointing away from you, on a work surface. Shave ribbons of asparagus off of the stalk with a vegetable peeler, moving the peeler from the stem-end to the tip. Repeat with remaining asparagus. Transfer asparagus strips to a bowl.
Sprinkle salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper over asparagus; drizzle dressing over the top and toss to coat. Let sit until asparagus wilts slightly, 2 to 4 minutes.
Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir pastrami in hot oil until almost crisp, 2 to 3 minutes.
Divide asparagus salad between four plates and top with pastrami.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 168.8 calories, Carbohydrate 5.6 g, Cholesterol 19 mg, Fat 13 g, Fiber 2.5 g, Protein 8.8 g, SaturatedFat 2.4 g, Sodium 382.9 mg, Sugar 2.2 g