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Spring hath sprung, and it’s getting hot outside, ya’ll! One way to keep ourselves cool is to enjoy this gorgeous potato, shaved asparagus, and citrus salad. It has all of the elements of a delicious afternoon lunch. And it’s a great recipe for learning how to eat artfully. Let’s dive in!
These veggies threatened me
…with a good time! I’m gonna be honest with you here. I had no idea what this salad was going to look and taste like before I got started. I just knew that I wanted a spring-ish salad that was crunchy, creamy, citrusy, and popped with contrasting colors. So, I chose asparagus as my star vegetable of the spring season. Ironically enough, I only used a few shaved ribbons for this salad.
As soon as I got home with my veggie haul, I placed them on a table and arranged them as though I was creating a painting. I loved how the colors of my ingredients complemented one another. I knew the salad was at least going to look bomb-ass.
Back in art school, I learned the phrase, “An artist knows when to stop.” I remembered that when kissing the top of this salad with the asparagus. Had I mixed the ribbons into the salad, they would have wilted from the dressing and citrus juices. So, it’s important to add them in last.
How to make the potato, shaved asparagus, and citrus salad
I love using colorful fingerlings because they lend so much beauty to any dish you create. The first thing I do is lightly scrub off any loose dirt from the potatoes. If there are any hair-like roots still attached, I leave them. They remind me from whence they came.
Next, I cut the larger potatoes in half (lengthwise). The purple potatoes look gorgeous sliced in half too. So, go ahead and do both.
Using your favorite steak or chicken seasoning, generously sprinkle it over the potatoes, ending with a bit of olive oil.
Toss the fingerlings so that they are cloaked in seasoned oil. Then, place them, cut-side down, onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast the fingerlings in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. Each oven will vary with cooking time, so carefully watch the potatoes, so they don’t over-roast.
Glorious Shaved Asparagus
To trim the asparagus, hold one spear at each end with both hands. Slowly bend the spear until it breaks. That break is the weakest point of the spear and is a guiding point to where you can cut the rest of the spears. Don’t throw away those ends! You can use them for soups or char them and add them to a tasty pesto.
Once you’ve got your asparagus trimmed, lay each spear onto a cutting board. Using a peeler, carefully shave ribbons from the spear. You’ll only need a few. Place the rest of the asparagus in the fridge for later use.
What can I say? Citrus always makes a salad better! In this beautiful spring salad, I added orange and grapefruit segments. This how-to technique in chef talk is called “how to supreme an orange.”
To create segments, cut the ends off of each citrus fruit. Using a paring knife, follow the natural curve of the orange from top to bottom. Remove all of the peel and pith from the fruit. Now, you can see the membranes between each segment. Slice on each side of the membrane to remove the segment.
Potato Goodness
Once the potatoes are ready, check for crispiness by flipping a few slices over with a knife. If they have a nice brown roast to the cut side, they are ready for plating.
With any salad, I first add the leafy greens to the plate. Next, I add the heaviest and largest component onto the greens in an asymmetrical manner. Because this dish has three different potato varieties, I make sure they appear balanced as they nestle into the arugula. In other words, you don’t want to place all of the purple potatoes on one side of the dish. Spread them out!
The next step is to take the next heaviest ingredient (in this case, the citrus segments) and place them onto the potatoes. If you see an area or “hole” where it needs filling, place a segment there. The salad is telling you where your next move will be. Listen to what it tells you.
After you’ve placed each ingredient onto the salad using this technique, you’ll have a finished masterpiece ready to devour. The dressing for this salad is bomb-ass, but there are so many other great options. This Honey Garlic Vinaigrette is an awesome second choice. For a heavier dressing with an Asian flair and added creaminess, try this one here.
And, if you’d like to add a little animal protein, pan-seared shrimp goes really well with this dish. I promise you’ll thank me later.
POTATO, SHAVED ASPARAGUS, AND CITRUS SALAD: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
If you parboil your potatoes before roasting, they will cook faster and also have beautiful crispy skin on the outside. But, don’t fret if you don’t have the time. Simply toss them with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper, and then pop them into the oven. They still come out beautifully!
What is the best oil for roasting potatoes?
Hands down, I always use either a good quality olive oil or ghee. When roasting potatoes, a flavorful oil and a little seasoning are all you need. With this salad, the extra punch of tastiness is in the vinaigrette.
How long will the cooked potatoes last in the fridge?
If you want to cook the potatoes a day before, allow them to cool to room temperature before storing them in the fridge. They will keep for 2-3 days.
Potato, Shaved Asparagus, and Citrus Salad
Ingredients
FOR THE SALAD
2 tbsp olive oil
1 package of fingerling potatoes, sliced in half
A hefty pinch of kosher salt and black pepper
Steak Seasoning, to taste
1 bunch fresh asparagus, ends snapped off
2 large pink grapefruits
2 medium oranges
1 lb of raw shrimp (optional), peeled and deveined with tails on
A handful of fresh arugula
1 bunch of fresh dill
2–3 radishes, sliced
FOR THE VINAIGRETTE
Juice of 1 lemon, about 2 tbsp
1 tsp Dijon mustard
a splash of champagne vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
A pinch of sugar or sugar substitute
1 tsp fresh dill, roughly chopped
kosher salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Slice the larger potatoes lengthwise and the purple potatoes in half. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Add the olive oil, salt, pepper, and seasoning, then toss together. Turn sliced potatoes “cut-side” down. Space potatoes evenly for optimal roasting. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until crispy and golden brown.
- While the potatoes are roasting, begin preparing the rest of the salad’s components.
- For the asparagus, snap one in half. Using your chef knife, slice the rest to match the length of the snapped spear. Then, one at a time, lay a spear onto the cutting board and carefully shave it into ribbons using a potato peeler. Set aside
- Segment the oranges and grapefruits, then set them aside.
- If you’re adding shrimp to the salad, toss it into a bowl with a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then, sear the shrimp on both sides in a preheated cast-iron skillet until cooked through. Set aside.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven and let them cool for about 10 minutes.
FOR THE VINAIGRETTE
- Add the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, champagne vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and dill to a small bowl. Whisk the ingredients together until emulsified. Set aside.
TO ASSEMBLE THE SALAD
- Choose a beautiful large platter to build your salad.
- Spread the arugula onto the platter.
- Carefully place the potatoes on top of the arugula.
- Add grapefruit and orange segments around the potatoes.
- Snuggle in the sliced radishes.
- Top the salad with shaved asparagus ribbons
- Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad, sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve
