Bread Salad with Roasted Asparagus and Smoked Trout
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
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
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
⅓ cup sherry vinegar
1 medium shallot, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon chives, minced
sea salt
pepper
⅔ cup olive oil
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.
