WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Raw asparagus is just as delicious as cooked; it’s mildly sweet and nutty, with a delicate crunch and none of the sulfurous flavors that cooked asparagus sometimes has. Many recipes call for cut-up lengths of raw asparagus, but even when we peeled the spears, they were too fibrous. As long as we chose the right spears (bright green, firm, and crisp, with tightly closed tips) and sliced them very thin on the bias, we could avoid woodiness but still keep things crunchy. This technique worked best with thicker spears, a welcome discovery because they’re available year-round. To complement the fresh asparagus, we wanted an herby dressing, and turned to mint and basil. A high ratio of herbs to oil created a pesto-style dressing potent enough to enhance but not mask the flavor of the asparagus. A food processor made it easy to chop the herbs together with Pecorino Romano cheese, garlic, lemon, and seasonings before stirring in extra-virgin olive oil. A few radishes, more Pecorino, and buttery  croutons rounded out the salad. Look for asparagus spears between ½ and ¾ inch in diameter. Parmesan can be substituted for the Pecorino Romano. Grate the cheese for the dressing with a rasp-style grater or use the small holes of a box grater; shave the cheese for the salad with a vegetable peeler.

Serves 4 to 6

TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• CROUTONS:
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, crusts discarded, cut into ½-inch pieces (1⅓ cups)
  • Salt and pepper

• PESTO DRESSING:
  • 2 cups fresh mint leaves
  • ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
  • ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 2 teaspoons juice
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • Salt and pepper
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• SALAD:
  • 2 pounds thick asparagus, trimmed
  • 5 radishes, trimmed and sliced thin
  • 2 ounces Pecorino Romano cheese, shaved (¾ cup)
  • Salt and pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. FOR CROUTONS:

• Heat butter and oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until butter is melted.
• Add bread pieces and ⅛ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

2. FOR PESTO DRESSING:

• Process mint, basil, Pecorino, lemon zest and juice, garlic, and ¾ teaspoon salt in food processor until smooth, about 20 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
• With processor running, slowly add oil until incorporated; transfer to large bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. FOR SALAD:

• Cut asparagus tips from spears into ¾-inch-long pieces.
• Slice asparagus spears ⅛ inch thick on bias.
• Add asparagus tips and spears, radishes, and Pecorino to dressing and toss to combine.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Transfer salad to serving platter and top with croutons.
• Serve.

VARIATIONS

• ASPARAGUS SALAD ORANGES,FETA, AND HAZELNUTS:
  Omit croutons and radishes. Substitute 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese for
  Pecorino in the salad. Cut away peel and pith from 2 oranges. Holding
  fruit over bowl, use paring knife to slice between membranes to release
  segments. Add to salad. Add ¾ cup toasted, skinned, and
  chopped hazelnuts to salad.

• ASPARAGUS SALAD WITH GRAPES, GOAT CHEESE, AND ALMONDS:
  Omit croutons. Substitute 6 ounces thinly sliced grapes for radishes and 4
  ounces crumbled goat cheese for Pecorino in the salad. Add ¾ cup toasted
  and chopped almonds to salad.