Forage your own asparagus or find it at your local farmers’ market, then make this delicious dish. The subtle hint of lime and coconut and the sweet pop of the cherry tomatoes can’t be beat. Try this raw salad at your next outdoor event.
Recipe by Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company
Shaved Asparagus and Arugula Salad with Coconut-Lime Dressing
Asparagus is a family favorite that we buy by the boxful at our local Amish produce auction. Since it’s one of the first veggies on the table in the spring, we might be up against a handful of excited bidders also looking to put the nutritious spring treat on their own tables. Thankfully, we win as much as we lose, allowing us to make dishes like this crunchy raw salad, which lets the nuttier side of asparagus shine through. You can use what’s available at your local grocer or farmers’ market (consider blush-budded Precoce D’Argenteuil) or, if you live in an area where asparagus grows wild, use foraged spears for this recipe.
Ingredients:
½ pound asparagus stalks, trimmed
4 cups arugula
½ pint multicolored heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved
¼ cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon lime zest
1 teaspoon agave nectar
¼ teaspoon salt
Directions:
Using a sharp vegetable peeler, shave asparagus into thin ribbons and reserve.
Arrange arugula leaves on a platter and top with asparagus ribbons and tomatoes.
Whisk together coconut milk, lime juice and zest, agave nectar, and salt and drizzle on top of salad.
Makes 6 cups
Read more about Baker Creek Farm:
https://missourilife.com/a-gardeners-dream/
Article originally published in the April 2015 issue of Missouri Life.
