I love asparagus. Wait, let me be clear. I love local, springtime, tender, fresh asparagus. None of this woody-stalked nonsense from Mexico. A lot of good things come from Mexico, but asparagus isn’t one of them.
I’ve been harassing my parents to be on the lookout for some in Sussex County, which has an abundance of fresh local produce. Weekly they bring milk, yogurt, eggs, fruits, and veggies, but I gave them annoyingly specific instructions on asparagus.
They delivered!
When it’s fresh and local and tender there is no need to cook. Adding the lemon juice will help break down any fiberous bits.
Asparagus Ceviche
Asparagus
Olive oil
Lemon
Good salt (I used black Hawaiian sea salt)
Cracked black pepper
Shave the asparagus with a vegetable peeler. This takes forever. Unless you have the energy to get out the mandoline (which I don’t), shave some and then chop the rest. Tell your guests you like the juxtaposition of textures and they will never know you’re lazy. Toss with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Squeeze in the juice of one half of a lemon. Let marinate in the fridge until you’re ready to eat. Do not serve cold, let it warm up a bit so the oil isn’t all gross.