Asparagus Salad Brazilian with Hearts of Palm

From My Carolina Kitchen

Sam Hoffer -My Carolina Kitchen

1 ½ pounds fresh asparagus, prepared for cooking as described above

Beef broth

2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 finely chopped shallot

Dash Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Dried tarragon to taste

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

6 to 8 slices of hearts of palm, sliced into ¼” coins

½ pint of grape tomatoes, sliced in half

One small red onion, thinly sliced into slivers

Lay asparagus down in a skillet that can hold them without crowding. Add equal parts water and beef broth to cover the spears, season with salt, cover the pan and bring to a boil over high heat. As soon as the water boils, remove lid and simmer on low about four minutes or cooked until the thick part of the stem can be pierced with a knife. Remove asparagus with a spatula onto a clean kitchen towel and roll gently to remove the water. Serve immediately or plunge the spears into an ice water bath to preserve their color.

For the vinaigrette, put the lemon juice, olive oil, chopped shallot, a dash of Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce and a good pinch of dried tarragon in jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well until blended.

Slice the asparagus in half and put in a bowl. Add the hearts of palm coins, the tomatoes and onion slivers, and toss gently with just enough vinaigrette to moisten. You may have some vinaigrette left over, in which case it can be stored in the covered jar in the refrigerator for several days. Season the salad with salt and freshly ground black pepper and let it marinate at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. Serves 4.