Recipe: Avocado, Roasted Asparagus and Cherry Tomato Salad

(Ensalada de Agucate, Espárragos, y Jitomatitos Rostizados)

Serves 6

Preparation Time: 15 Minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Make Ahead: This salad is best tossed just before eating, but the ingredients can be prepared a few hours ahead and kept at room temperature.

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Ingredients

1 pound asparagus
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or 2 teaspoons dried
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage or 2 teaspoons dried
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher or sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
¼ cup thinly sliced shallots
1 pound cherry tomatoes
Grated zest of 1 lime
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 large eggs, hard-boiled, cut in half, yolks separated from whites, and whites finely chopped
2 large ripe Hass avocados, halved, pitted, flesh scooped out and cut into large bite-size pieces

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Trim away the dry hard ends of the asparagus (about 1 inch from the bottom). Using a vegetable peeler, peel each asparagus stalk, beginning 1½ to 2 inches below the tips and peeling all the way down to the bottom.
In a large bowl, combine the basil, mint, and sage with ¼ cup of the olive oil, 1½ teaspoons salt, the pepper, and shallots. Beat with a whisk or fork until well mixed.
Set a rimmed 18-x-13-inch baking sheet on the countertop. Add the cherry tomatoes to the marinade, toss well and, with a slotted spoon, arrange on half of the baking sheet. Place the asparagus on the other half. Pour the remaining marinade over the asparagus and toss until thoroughly coated. Spread out in a single layer.
Roast the vegetables for 12 to 13 minutes, until the asparagus is crisp-tender. Remove the asparagus and set on a cutting board to cool. Return the tomatoes to the oven for another 5 to 6 minutes, until they have burst, deflated, and begun to char. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Using a slotted spoon, gently transfer the tomatoes to a bowl. Pour all the juices from the baking sheet into a blender.
Once the asparagus has cooled, cut away 1 inch from the bottom of each stem and add the ends to the blender. Cut the rest of the asparagus into 1½-inch pieces and set aside.
Add the lime zest and juice to the blender, along with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, the mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, and the egg yolks. Puree until completely smooth.
Place the avocado chunks in a large serving bowl, pour on the vinai-grette and gently toss until the avocado is thoroughly coated. Arrange the asparagus on top. Spoon the roasted tomatoes over the asparagus, garnish with the chopped egg whites, and serve.