Bread and Asparagus Salad

Sometimes great recipes are deceptively simple. A while back I was watching a re-run of Top Chef Masters and during one of the challenges, chef Naomi Pomeroy made this delightful looking salad. There was thinly sliced asparagus, toasted bread and a dressing made with lemon but I wasn't sure about the rest. A quick online search, however, produced the recipe.

I should mention that the challenge had something to do with having a tiny budget and only minimal ingredients because I image that Chef Pomeroy would have made the recipe a bit more elaborate in her own restaurant.

Since I wasn't under any sort of constraints, I took the liberty of adding a few things that I think complimented the dish. For example, Chef Pomeroy didn't use any cheese but, where salads are concerned, I think a little crumbled feta never hurt anything. I also used a bit less oil and creamed up the dressing to suit our taste.

All in all, this "simple" salad ended up having amazingly complex flavors and was a fun and delicious play on a panzanella. Enjoy!


Ingredients
6 Spears asparagus, peeled and thinly sliced on a diagonal
2 Slices bread, cut into 1" cubes
1/2 Shallot, peeled and diced
1 Clove garlic, minced
4 Cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon mayonnaise (I used low fat)
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley or chives
1/4 Cup feta cheese, crumbled (I used low fat)
Salt & pepper to taste
Non-stick cooking spray

Place the bread cubes on a baking sheet, spray with non-stick cooking spray and bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 10 minutes.

Add one tablespoon of the olive oil to a pan and, on low heat, saute the shallot and garlic until tender and translucent. Add the tomatoes and continue sauteing until they have broken down a bit. You can also mash them down a bit with a fork.

In  a bowl, make the dressing by whisking together the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, lemon juice, mayonnaise and herbs. Add the sliced asparagus and the sauteed onion and tomato mixture. Mix in the croutons and allow the salad to sit for about 20 minutes so that the bread can absorb the dressing. Season to taste and toss in the cheese. Makes 2 servings.