Spring Asparagus & Stone Crab Claws Salad with Lychee-Kumquat Vinaigrette

I don’t know about you. For me, one of the best things about Spring is the thrill of shopping for first growth vegetables poking up from the ground. Maybe it’s the vibrant colors or the promise of the soil’s fresh assortment of new produce. Perhaps it’s winter’s long wait for springtime itself and all that it brings; but let’s get back to vegetable shopping. It’s hard for me to ignore any vegetable right now, and I find myself grabbing and sniffing everything at my favorite green grocer, and tossing it into my arm-weary shopping basket. One of spring’s greatest and earliest arrivals is asparagus, so naturally I picked up a bunch of  spears thicker than taper candles, along with some bright orange kumquats and husked goldenberries, earthy salsify and gobo root, dragon fruit as red as a Chinese flag, tiny melons and mini squash smaller than a thought, and enough colorful and leafy greens to feed a large tribe of Outer Mongolian nomads (without their yurts) for the next couple of weeks.

And right after the green grocer, I wandered over to the fish store where I debated with the shellfish guy over northwest oysters (Hama-Hama vs Kumamoto), Mediterranean seppia, baby octopus or stone crab claws. All along I knew I wanted those black tipped stone crab claws, and after something less than a congressional joust with my jaded fish monger, I walked away with two right-handed claws. I hate it when I miss a nuance while shopping. Regardless, I realized at the time that the crab claws would make for a dramatic plating arrangement, possibly accompanied by the bright green asparagus I had just procured, along with a novel dressing or sauce, befitting spring’s arrival.

Preparing the Asparagus and Crab Claws

Trim tough ends from asparagus spears and gently peel the skin. Bunch the asparagus together, tie with kitchen twine, and place in a tall asparagus steamer with an inch of boiling water for about 3 minutes, until bright green and still crunchy. Remove asparagus bunch from steamer, discard the twine, and transfer spears to a bowl of water and ice cubes; this will help maintain color and texture. When ready to use, dry asparagus with paper towels and roll-cut (on a slight diagonal) into three pieces, ensuring the tips are cut evenly into 2-3 inches length.

Steam the crab claws covered, in a small pot, for about 2-3 minutes in one inch of boiling water. Remove from heat and let cool.

Rosaria’s Original Springtime Dressing and Sauce

~ 3-4 kumquats, blanched in boiling water for 1-2 minutes to soften skin, then quartered
~ 3-4 goldenberries, husked and halved
~ ¼ cup lychees or rambutan fruit – about 5 (canned or, if fresh, remove rind and pits)
~ ¼ vegetable oil
~ ¼ cup brown rice vinegar
~ 2 Tbsp Mirin
~ 1 tsp honey
~ A sprinkling of sesame seeds (optional)

In a small food processor, pulse all the above ingredients until a creamy white dressing is formed. The lychees’ sweetness and smoothness is an ideal contrast to the kumquats’ citrusy zing, further balanced by the Mirin and goldenberries. This dressing’s unusual flavors and velvety quality is sure to intrigue your palate.

To plate:

Arrange the cut asparagus pieces on a plate, alternating the direction of each layer (like Lincoln Logs!), preserving the tips for the top layer(s). Position the crab claws on either side of the asparagus, or any way you wish to accentuate their dramatic shape. Pour dressing over and around asparagus and sprinkle with a pinch of sesame seeds, if using. Garnish with sliced kumquat and husked goldenberry, and serve.

RSA & RMA

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