Shaved Asparagus and Arugula Salad

We should all try and be tourists in our own city. For years I travelled to Ottawa and took in the museums and Parliament, I walked the streets during the Tulip Festival and skated on the canal. And then I moved to Ottawa and the only time I walked into a museum was if a work event happened to be situated there. It is unfortunate when we take for granted all of the experiences our home city has to offer. We should make a point of looking at our City from a foreigners eyes- go on Trip Advisor, find a walking tour, take in something new.

This weekend I brought my munchkins to Point Pelee National Park. I had not been there since I was about their age and I was surprised by how large it was- filled with endless walking trails and beaches. I could not believe that this beautiful national park was only a 45 minute drive away and I had not been there in decades. We had a picnic, took in the wildlife, including two swans building a nest, and had ice cream. It was a perfect day and one I intend on repeating!

The bonus of driving through Essex County is also the endless farm stands which fulfils my other goals of eating as much local produce as possible.

On my continued love/obsession with asparagus, I made a salad which incorporated shaved asparagus ‘ribbons’ with peppery arugula, salty parmesan shavings, and crunchy salty pistachios. The combination was as as beautiful as it was tasty.

Shaving the asparagus can be a bit of a pain, but the presentation is worth it. The added bonus is that you don’t have to blanch the asparagus this way. I find a Y peeler to work better in this application. Hold the asparagus by the woody end, and peel up and away from your hand all the way through the spear. I can usually get several nice ribbons on one side, and then I flip the spear over and and shave the other side. I am usually left with a small section in the center that cannot be shaved, and so I chop it finely, lengthwise with a knife and add it in.

Shaved Asparagus and Arugula Salad

Adapted, Two Peas & Their Pod
Serves 4 as a side

For the Dressing
1/4 cup of olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp champagne or white wine vinegar
1 tsp honey
1 clove of garlic, minced
kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

For the Salad
1 lb large asparagus
3 oz arugula (2 1/2-3 cups loosely packed)
1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup chopped pistachios

In a small bowl or mason jar, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, honey, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Lay an asparagus spear flat on a cutting board. Holding on to the woody end, use a vegetable peeler to shave the asparagus away from the tough end and through the soft tip, so that they are long, thin strips or ribbons. Place the asparagus shavings in a large bowl and repeat with the remaining asparagus.

Add the arugula to the bowl. Toss the shaved asparagus and arugula together. Add the shaved Parmesan cheese and pistachios. Drizzle with the dressing and gently toss. Serve the salad immediately.

Make Ahead: You can make the dressing up to 3 days in advance. The salad can be prepared up to a few hours ahead, but don’t add the dressing until the last minute.