I noticed a couple of weeks ago that the price of asparagus started to rise – and then double – so I figured that my love affair with asparagus was coming to a close, for now, at least. But then – hallelujah! – I was pressing through the crowds at Monoprix the other day and saw both asparagus and the funny-shaped Gariguette strawberries on sale, and threw them both in my teensy, already stuffed basket.
How could I say no to asperges at 2.50 euros? Well, obviously, I could not.
I grabbed some smoked trout, and was planning to make tartines, but when I got home, I remembered that I had all of this bread from the weekend that I needed to use in some way, so I made some croutons (drizzled in olive oil, sea salt, pepper and baked in a 400-degree oven for 10-15 minutes or so), roasted the asparagus, and tore the smoked trout into different size pieces. Tres simple.
Tossed the mixture with a little sherry vinaigrette, and added just a bit of creme fraiche, because, well, you simply must. It’s just the right amount of creaminess that the smoked trout and asparagus need to come together peacefully, plus it gives a wonderful contrast to the crunch of the toasted bread.
Hey, Monoprix, I’m coming back.
Bread Salad with Asparagus and Smoked Trout
INGREDIENTS
1 pound (about 450 grams) asparagus, rinsed and ends trimmed
4 oz (about 113 grams) smoked trout, torn into bite-size pieces
4 cups bread croutons, toasted (this is approximate; I really go by how this looks in the bowl)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh dill
2 tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream
2 oz (¼ cup) sherry vinaigrette, recipe follows
sea salt
pepper
olive oil
WHAT YOU DO
1. Turn the oven onto broil. Put the asparagus spears on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a bit of sea salt and pepper. Slide into the oven and cook until the spears begin to turn brown, about 10-15 minutes. You’ll want to roll them around a bit half-way through, to make sure they cook evenly. Remove asparagus from oven, and cut in 2-inch pieces.
2. In a medium bowl, toss the asparagus with the bread croutons, smoked trout, lemon zest, dill, and approximately 1/4 cup of the sherry vinaigrette (go light; you don’t want to overdress). If you can, let this sit at room temperature for a half-hour, at least. Serve with a bit of creme fraiche.
Sherry Vinaigrette
INGREDIENTS
⅓ cup sherry vinegar
1 medium shallot, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon chives, minced
sea salt
pepper
⅔ cup olive oil
WHAT YOU DO
1. Put the sherry vinegar, shallots, chives and mustard in a jam jar and shake so everything combines. Let sit for 15-20 minutes.
2. Add the oil, taste for seasonings, and add salt and pepper.
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Made real Tex-Mex cuisine (enchilada pie – does it get any more Tex-Mex?) for Cinco de Mayo and thought of you. Unfortunately, limeless Israel meant guacamole and pico de gallo with lemon and orange zest to make up for it. Love your review of Lipp. Seems like exactly the kind of place I plan to go when I get to Paris.