Not all vegetables have to be cooked in order to eat. Cutting or shaving vegetables in thinner and smaller pieces and marinating in a vinaigrette breaks down the hearty exterior and softens the center parts. Using acid and salt instead of heat accentuates the vegetable’s natural flavor and sugars. This asparagus salad is best when the asparagus has been recently picked. The vinaigrette is loaded with acid and complements the asparagus, while the toasted almonds’ earthy notes mellow the acid and give a nice crunch. Don’t skip the ricotta cheese, the fat helps meld the flavors together. If you’re not a fan of asparagus you can use sugar snap peas, roughly five pounds. This recipe makes more dressing than needed, save for salads later in the week. ––Justin Burke

Shaved Asparagus Salad

Ingredients
2 pounds large asparagus, cleaned and trimmed
4 cups marcona almonds
¼ cup shallots, minced
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
⅓ cup honey
1 ¼ cups olive oil
3 teaspoons lemon zest
¼ cup chardonnay vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste
¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
3 ounces ricotta cheese
¼ cup mint, roughly chopped
lemon juice, to taste

Directions 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Arrange the almonds on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and toast in the oven until golden. Remove and cool to room temperature.
2. Rough chop the almonds and mix evenly in a bowl with shallots, mustard, honey, oil, lemon zest, and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 
3. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the asparagus into long, thin strips and transfer to a  separate bowl.
4. Using a large mixing bowl, add the asparagus, ricotta cheese, red onion and ¾ cups vinaigrette. Add mint to the mixing bowl. Stir to combine, making sure to break up the cheese as much as possible.
5. Season with salt and pepper, and top with lemon juice to taste. Be generous. Transfer to a serving dish.

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