Cooked, chopped white asparagus, eggs, and turkey bacon pieces or ham, tossed in a mayonnaise, mustard, and paprika dressing.
This asparagus salad is served chilled : tender white asparagus, a creamy mustard and paprika dressing, eggs with slightly soft yolks, and a salty touch from the cured meat. Serve it as an appetizer or a main-course salad, with pan-fried turkey bacon pieces or ham. For two servings, allow 15 minutes for cooking, including time for the asparagus to rest. Find this recipe among my keto soups and salads.
What Is Asparagus Salad ?
This mixed salad is served cold, with cooked white asparagus cut into pieces as its main ingredient. It pairs the asparagus with two hard-boiled or slightly soft-boiled eggs, pan-fried turkey bacon pieces or strips of ham, and a dressing of mayonnaise, mustard, paprika, and a splash of vinegar or lemon juice.
The dressing should coat the pieces without drowning them, and the delicate tips need gentle tossing. Dried chives and fresh parsley add a final touch of green ; for another way to use chives, try chive blossom butter.
The Origins of This Version
White asparagus is a sign of spring at the market : its short season explains the care it receives, from selecting firm stalks with tightly closed tips to peeling them carefully. The combination of asparagus, eggs, and ham is a familiar part of seasonal cooking, from bistro appetizers to homemade lunches.
This version uses pan-fried turkey bacon pieces, or ham for those who eat pork, and brings everything together with a mayonnaise and mustard dressing. For a strict paleo version, leave the paprika out of the dressing.
The Main Ingredients
Allow 750 g of asparagus for two people ; choose firm stalks with tightly closed tips and ends that are not too dried out. Cook them in water acidulated with lemon juice or a tablespoon of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Set aside 2 asparagus spears, the peelings, the ends, and the cooking water : they make a very good soup.
Two eggs add richness, cooked as firmly or softly as you like ; for a tender yolk, aim for the texture of a soft-boiled egg. Sautรฉ the 100 g of turkey bacon pieces in a little avocado oil, mild olive oil, or high-oleic sunflower oil. If using 100 g of ham instead, simply cut it into strips or cubes.
The dressing needs just a few ingredients : 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon of Dijon or smooth mustard, 1 teaspoon of paprika, and 1 teaspoon of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, or the juice of a quarter of a lemon. You can use Japanese mayonnaise instead of regular mayonnaise.
Technique and Serving Tips
Wash the asparagus gently, as the tips often hold sand, then lay the spears flat and peel them with a vegetable peeler, working from the tip toward the base. Trim about 1 cm off the ends. Lay them in a saucepan with the peelings and trimmed ends on top, then add the lemon juice and a little over a liter of water to cover. Cook for 5 minutes, then let rest for 10 minutes : the tip of a knife should slide easily into the thickest part.
Meanwhile, cook the eggs for 6 to 8 minutes, run them under cold water, and peel them while still warm, then sautรฉ the turkey bacon or cut up the ham. Cut the cooled asparagus into pieces, removing any skin that still resists the knife, then drain and pat dry with paper towels so the dressing clings. Mix the dressing with a pinch of salt, toss with the asparagus to coat, add the chopped eggs, cured meat, and herbs, and serve well chilled. One serving provides about 458 kcal and 9 g of net carbs.
Find more dishes like this among my low-carb recipes.
Ingredients
- 750 g asparagus
- 0.5 lemon juiced, for cooking the asparagus
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, instead of lemon for cooking the asparagus
- 2 eggs
- 100 g turkey bacon pieces
- 100 g ham instead of the turkey bacon pieces
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard or smooth mustard
- 1 teaspoon paprika ground
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, for the dressing
- 0.25 lemon juiced, instead of vinegar in the dressing
- Chives dried
- Parsley fresh
- Avocado oil or mild olive oil or high-oleic sunflower oil, for sautรฉing the turkey bacon pieces
Instructions
- Wash the asparagus gently to avoid breaking the spears, paying particular attention to the tips, which can hold a lot of sand. Peel with a vegetable peeler (lay the spears flat, place a finger under the tip, then peel from the tip toward the base in long strokes). Trim about 1 cm off the base. Place the asparagus in a saucepan and lay the peelings and trimmed ends on top.750 g asparagus
- Add the juice of 1 lemon (squeeze it into a separate container first so you don’t have to fish out the seeds later). Add enough water to cover the asparagus. This will take a little over 1 liter.0.5 lemon, 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- Cook the asparagus for 5 minutes, then let stand for another 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, boil the eggs for 6 to 8 minutes (for slightly soft or hard yolks). After cooking, briefly rinse them under cold running water. Peel once they have cooled a little.2 eggs
- Meanwhile, sautรฉ the turkey bacon pieces in a little oil. Or cut the ham into strips or cubes.100 g turkey bacon pieces, 100 g ham, Avocado oil
- Once the asparagus has cooled, cut it into pieces. If the knife doesn’t cut through a spear easily, there is still a little too much skin left. Remove that skin. Let the asparagus pieces drain, then pat dry with paper towels.
- In a bowl, mix the mayonnaise, mustard, lime juice, ground paprika and salt. Toss with the asparagus. Cut the eggs into small pieces. Add them along with the turkey bacon pieces. Garnish with a little chives and parsley.1 tablespoon mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon white vinegar, 0.25 lemon, Chives, Parsley
