Asparagus is one of the earliest spring vegetables, a bright change of pace from winter’s kale and broccoli. While roasting whole spears is our default method, sometimes it’s so refreshing to do something with raw asparagus. This salad from Chef Jeff Rosen combines beautifully thin ribbons of asparagus with dry jack cheese, toasted pine nuts, and arugula with a Green Goddess dressing.
If you haven’t had (or made) Green Goddess dressing you are in for a treat. It’s like an herb garden exploded in a tangy ranch dressing. Feel free to experiment and swap out your favorite fresh herbs.
While it’s a little work to peel the asparagus, this salad will pay you back by keeping in the fridge for up to 2 days. Plus making ribbons out of asparagus is fun. You can use a mandoline (not for the faint of heart or accident-prone), or use the everyday hack of a vegetable peeler.