Asparagus and morel mushrooms are one of my favorite spring vegetable pairings. Grilling the asparagus gives a smokey, charred flavor to the dish which matches perfectly with the earthiness of morel mushrooms. The soft poached egg makes this salad perfect for weekend brunch or served as a light dinner for two.
Chef notes:
Add crispy bacon and tea biscuits when serving this salad at brunch
Yield: serves 2, 1¼ cup vinaigrette
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Parmesan Vinaigrette
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1½ tsp garlic, minced
3 tbsp capers, chopped
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3 tsp honey
½ tsp black pepper, freshly cracked
¼ cup rice vinegar
¼ cup white vinegar
⅓ cup canola oil
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt
Salad
½ lb asparagus ends trimmed
¾ cup morel mushrooms, dried (10 g); (use 100 g fresh when in season)
2 oz kale leaves, washed and dried
3 tbsp parmesan vinaigrette
2 eggs
For the vinaigrette
Mix everything in a large mixing bowl and season with salt to taste.
Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
For the salad
Preheat a grill high.
Soak the mushrooms in water to rehydrate for about 30 minutes or overnight. Use fresh morel mushrooms when in season.
Cut off the woody ends of the asparagus and peel the skin halfway up the spears. Discard peelings.
Toss the asparagus with a small amount of canola oil and season with salt.
Grill the asparagus until they are tender and slightly charred, then remove from the grill and set aside.
In a small sauté pan on medium-high heat add one tablespoon of butter with one teaspoon of canola oil.
Squeeze out the excess water from the mushrooms and sauté them in the pan, stirring occasionally until they are cooked for about 3 minutes.
Add a pinch of salt and pepper, remove the mushrooms from the heat and set aside.
Fill a small pot with water, add a splash of vinegar and bring this to a simmer on high heat.
Drop two eggs into the simmering water and cook for 3 minutes for a soft poached egg. Remove the eggs from the water onto a paper towel to drain and set aside.
Toss the grilled asparagus with 2 tablespoons of parmesan vinaigrette and place it onto 2 large plates.
In a small mixing bowl add the washed kale and mix with 3 tablespoons of parmesan vinaigrette.
Place the kale and mushrooms on top of the asparagus and add the soft poached egg on top of the kale, season with salt and fresh cracked black pepper, and enjoy!
©chefalisonbiebs
Comments