Shaved Asparagus Salad with Aged Gouda and Hazelnuts

So many recipes, so little time.

That's the way I felt while thumbing through the April/May 2011 issue of Fine Cooking. I've subscribed to many cooking magazines in the past few years and so far the only one that's a keeper is Fine Cooking. The recipes typically don't require exotic ingredients, most require just a few ingredients, and the results are tasty.

Normally I need to load a salad up with dressing in order for it to be palatable.  I'm just not a rabbit-food guy.  My wife, on the other hand, likes her salads with almost no dressing. This one has almost no dressing, but it was so tasty I enjoyed it that way.

I have one of these Kyocera ceramic slicers and it worked great for shaving the asparagus as well as shaving the gouda. And around here hazelnuts are called filberts.

Peeling Hazelnuts

Yes, you want to peel them.  The skins are slightly bitter. Heat the oven to 350F.  Put the hazelnuts in the oven.  When slightly toasted and aromatic, remove from the oven and let cool.  Wrap them up in a towel and rub the hazelnuts against each other and most of the skins will disintegrate.

Vinaigrette

3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon clover honey
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot

Salad

1 lb medium-thick asparagus spears
2 cups baby arugula
1/2 cup hazelnuts, roasted, pealed, and chopped
Shaved Aged Gouda.

Whisk all of the vinaigrette ingredients together and set aside.

Remove the tips from the asparagus and set them aside in a large bowl. Trim the woody ends from the stalks then cut them in half crosswise.  Shave each stalk half, discarding the first shaving. Add the shavings to bowl of tips. Add the vinaigrette to the bowl, toss to coat, and set aside for 15-20 minutes.

Add the arugula and hazelnuts.  Toss again. Put a serving on each plate and arrange a few gouda shavings on top.

Serves 4-6