What better way to enjoy summer than with this recipe for a Creamy Asparagus Salad with Sunflower Seed Furikake from Everyone’s Table: Global Recipes for Modern Health.
Find the recipe for Creamy Asparagus Salad with Sunflower Seed Furikake below.
Serves 6
Sunflower and sesame seeds team up for a creamy, gingery dressing for asparagus that is snappy and juicy from a quick saute. The textures just multiply from there—crunchy, punchy pickled onions; rich chunks of avocado; and a shower of furikake made with nori seaweed, crispy garlic, and more nutty sunflower seeds.
Directions for the dressing:
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup raw sesame seeds, toasted (see page 26)
1 small shallot, roughly chopped
1 medium garlic clove, peeled
2-inch knob ginger, peeled and sliced against the grain
1/2 small jalapeno chile
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Directions for the salad:
2 bunches asparagus
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large Persian cucumbers, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 ripe Hass avocados, pitted, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup drained Quick-Pickled Red Onions (page 286)
1/2 cup Sunflower Seed Furikake (page 324)
Make the dressing:
Combine all the dressing ingredients but the olive oil in a blender and blend on high speed until as smooth as possible, about 2 minutes. Add the olive oil, then blend again until the dressing is creamy and smooth, about 30 seconds. Reserve about 1/4 cup for this recipe. The rest is great for any hearty salad. It keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Make the salad:
One by one, bend each asparagus spear to break off the tough bottoms and discard them. Cut the asparagus into 2-inch pieces. Heat the avocado oil in a wide, heavy skillet over high heat until shimmery and, working in two batches to avoid crowding, cook the asparagus until bright green and just slightly charred but still crisp, about 2 minutes. Season with the salt, transfer to a sheet pan in a single layer, and let cool to room temperature.
Combine the asparagus, cucumbers, and dressing in a large mixing bowl and toss really well to coat. Add the avocado and toss gently to coat without smashing the avocado. Transfer the mixture to a platter, then sprinkle with the pickled onions and the furikake. Serve right away.
From the book EVERYONE’S TABLE by Gregory Gourdet and JJ Goode. Copyright © 2021 by Gregory Gourdet and JJ Goode. Published by Harper Wave, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Reprinted by permission. Photos by Eva Kosmas Flores.
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