The key to the success of this Warm Asparagus Cabbage Salad is to use a cast iron frying pan. It gets nice and hot and gives the cabbage and asparagus a bit of a charred edge.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 egg
- 3 shallots
- Vegetable oil
- 1/2 head Savoy cabbage, chopped or shredded
- 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed or peeled and sliced on the diagonal
- 2 tsp. lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
- Put the egg in a pot and cover with water. bring to a boil, cover, take off the heat and let sit 14 minutes. Drain and peel the egg under cool running water. (See How to Hard Boil an Egg for more specifics, if you like.) Set aside.
- Peel the shallots and slice them.
- Heat a thick layer (almost 1/4 inch) of vegetable oil in a cast iron pan over high heat. Add the shallots and fry them until they are browned and stop sizzling so swiftly. Lift the shallots out of the oil and drain them on a layer of paper towels. Set the shallots aside. Pour out the excess oil from the pan.
- Return the pan, with its now-scant covering of oil, to the heat. Add the cabbage, sprinkle it with about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the cabbage wilts and it starts to brown. Lift the cabbage out of the pan and transfer it to a wide shallow bowl.
- Add the asparagus to the pan, sprinkle it with salt and cook, stirring often, until it becomes tender and starts to char on the edges. Add the asparagus to the cabbage, sprinkle everything with lemon juice, and toss to combine. Taste the salad and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the fried shallots and toss to combine. Divide onto serving plates or serve family style – but first finely chop or shred the egg on a grater and use it to garnish the salad.
