Shaved Asparagus Salad with a Poached Egg

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We don’t eat out in the city very often. Which may sound odd considering there are more than 3,500 restaurants here;  not to mention every kind of cuisine you could possibly crave. Truth is, we tend to eat at Lenny’s favorite spot most nights: Chez Us. After all these years, he still says it’s the best place in town for a really good meal.  And thankfully, he was not disappointed when this Shaved Asparagus Salad with a Poached Egg landed on the table.

There are a handful of restaurants that always come to mind whenever someone asks us, “What’s your favorite restaurant in San Francisco?”

Nopa, Contigo, and Bar Jules have long been at the top of our list for dinner. We can honestly say we’ve never had a bad meal at any of them.

We recently had dinner at Nopa with friends to celebrate a somewhat monumental 40-ish birthday. And once again, it reminded us why we keep going back. Every visit has been consistently good;  thirst-quenching cocktails, lip-smacking food, and service that always goes above and beyond. Consistency is a beautiful thing, especially when it keeps pulling you back for more.

During that dinner, we shared an incredible shaved asparagus salad that we haven’t been able to stop thinking about since. Delicate ribbons of asparagus were tossed in the lightest dressing with little bites of crispy bacon scattered throughout. Resting on top was a perfectly poached egg just waiting to spill into the salad. It was simple, fresh, and absolutely unforgettable.

So, naturally, I had to recreate it at home.

I slaved, yes, slaved,  over a half pound of asparagus, shaving it into paper-thin ribbons. Then I cooked pancetta until crisp, but not overly browned. The pan was deglazed with fresh Meyer lemon juice, becoming the base for a bright vinaigrette made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, a little of the pancetta drippings, and more lemon juice.

Right before serving, I quickly blanched the asparagus ribbons, gently patted them dry, and tossed them with just enough vinaigrette to lightly coat. Resting on top was a perfectly poached egg.

Was it exactly like the salad at Nopa? No. But it was still pretty amazing. The asparagus stayed crisp yet silky, the pancetta added salty crunch, and the warm yolk wrapped everything together into the creamiest dressing imaginable.

It made the perfect light dinner paired with a chilled glass of rosé and a few bites of warm crusty bread.

Recipe: Shaved Asparagus Salad with a Poached Egg

Ingredients

Serves 2 as a main course or 4 as a starter

• 1/2 pound asparagus, washed and patted dry
• 4 slices pancetta, diced
• 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Juice of 1 Meyer lemon
• 1 tablespoon pancetta drippings
• 2 tablespoons shallot, finely minced
• 2 tablespoons red wine or white wine vinegar
• Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 2 eggs (or 4 eggs for smaller servings)

How To

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Using a vegetable peeler, shave the asparagus into thin ribbons, starting at the top of each spear and pulling downward. Continue until you’re left with the tougher center of the spear. If needed, use a small paring knife to split thicker ribbons in half. Firmer asparagus spears work best here. Don’t worry if the ribbons are imperfect, this salad is meant to feel rustic.

Place the shaved asparagus into a sieve or strainer and lower it into the boiling water for about 1 minute. Remove immediately and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking.

Spread the asparagus ribbons onto paper towels or a flour sack towel and gently pat dry. Let sit for about 15 minutes while you prepare the dressing.

To make the vinaigrette, place the minced shallots and vinegar into a small bowl and set aside.

Heat a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil along with the pancetta and cook until lightly crisped and crumbly, but not overly browned. Remove the pancetta with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

Carefully pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the pancetta drippings from the pan. Add the Meyer lemon juice and cook briefly, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce slightly, until about 3 tablespoons of liquid remain.

Pour the warm lemon mixture into the bowl with the shallots and vinegar. Slowly whisk in the remaining olive oil until the dressing becomes slightly creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place the asparagus ribbons into a serving bowl and toss gently with just enough vinaigrette to lightly coat.

Poach the eggs.

To serve, divide the asparagus between bowls, top each with a poached egg, and finish with the crispy pancetta.

Serve immediately with warm crusty bread and a chilled glass of rosé.

Eat.