Slaw week continues on Menu For One! This one is perfect beside grilled meat or seafood, and might even develop into a one-pot meal/side-salad with the addition of couscous, or a protein-rich whole-grain like quinoa.
Now, when you read this recipe, you'll notice that there's no mayonnaise (mayo-haters rejoice!). I looked into it, and found that technically, slaws don't require mayonnaise. "Slaw" is a word derived from the Dutch word "sla" meaning salad. The term usually refers to shredded cabbage coated in some sort of "moist dressing," but can include other vegetables.
Because there's no cooking involved, this Asparagus Salad can be assembled as fast as you can chop and stir. The key to this dish is to use the young, pencil-thin asparagus if you can find it. For me, that's always the asparagus I find at the grocery store and never the kind I'm looking for.
Asparagus, Pecorino, and Red Onion
from Anne Burrell, host of Secrets of a Restaurant Chef
Chop off the tough ends of one bunch of asparagus. Cut the remaining pieces of asparagus crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. Combine in a medium bowl with one small red onion, finely diced, and 1 cup coursely grated pecorino. Add 1/2 cup red wine vinegar, a glug of olive oil, and a couple of pinches of kosher salt. Toss to combine and adjust dressing to taste, adding a little more olive oil at a time.
I guess it was a close-ups only kind of day when I photographed this dish - not quite sure what that was all about, but I think you get the idea. Depending on your appetite and whether this serves as a side or a main course, you should have enough left over for tomorrow. Enjoy!
