Asparagus and Toasted Hazelnut Caesar

Asparagus and Toasted Hazelnut Caesar

 

At Acid League, we pride ourselves on our love of adventure and experimentation. We’re known to tinker with ingredients, mix flavors that “shouldn’t” be combined, and randomly happen upon creations that we later realize we can’t live without. 


It’s in this spirit that most of these recipes were concocted—guided by imagination over exact measurement. Our goal is to inspire home cooks to do the same, and we hope readers use these recipes as a starting point instead of a precise rulebook to be followed. 


Have fun and enjoy culinarily coloring outside the lines!

Using Meyer Lemon Honey Living Vinegar.

Aaah, Spring…the season for flora and fauna, major allergies, and gorgeous asparagus. This salad is a springtime twist on a classic caesar, replacing crunchy romaine with tender ribbons of fresh asparagus (and by fresh, we mean seriously fresh - the kind you can only find in the harvests of April and May). Topped with toasted hazelnuts and creamy Parmigiano Reggiano, we promise this salad will leave you feeling satisfied and on top of your seasonal dish game.


Meyer Lemon Caesar Dressing 

Ingredients

1

Egg yolk, room temperature

3 filets

Anchovies (can also use 1 tsp anchovy paste)

1½ tbsp

Grainy mustard 

3 cloves

Garlic, grated

2 tbsp

Meyer Lemon Honey Living Vinegar

¾-1 cup

Olive oil (or 1:1 mixture of Olive and Grapeseed oil)

½ cup

Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated 

1 tsp

Cracked pepper

½  cup

Raw (or roasted) hazelnuts 

2 bunches (~ 2lbs or 36 spears)

Asparagus (green or purple work best)


Method

  1. Grab a medium-sized bowl. Using a fork or wooden spoon, mash anchovies with mustard until anchovies are pasty.
  2. Mix egg yolk, garlic, and vinegar in with anchovy-mustard mixture.
  3. While continuously whisking, add olive oil in a gentle drizzle until thicker consistency is obtained (imagine a slightly watery mayonnaise). 
  4. Add in grated parmigiano and freshly cracked pepper. Mix together and set aside.
  5. Set the oven to 275F. Toast raw hazelnuts until fragrant ( ~9 minutes) making sure to turn the tray halfway through. If using a pan, toast hazelnuts over low heat, constantly mixing until fragrant and light brown in color. Set aside to cool.
  6. Trim off woody ends of each spear by snapping. Holding the spear by the cut end, use a Y-shaped veggie peeler to shave asparagus until the whole stalk has been ribboned. A helpful method is to first shave one side of the stalk until it’s flat, and then rotate to do the other rounded side. If asparagus tips fall off or if you have thicker middle pieces - slice them into smaller diamond-like shapes and set aside (separate from ribbons).
  7. Using a medium pan, sauté asparagus tips and thicker pieces over medium high heat until a vibrant green color (~2 minutes). Set aside. 
  8. Chop toasted and cooled hazelnuts into smaller pieces.
  9. Using a large bowl, mix together raw asparagus ribbons, sauteed asparagus pieces, and dressing (using as much dressing as desired). Top with toasted hazelnuts and shaved Parmigiano Reggiano. Save any leftover dressing in the fridge for later use.

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