This is charred asparagus like I am (very) sure you have never had before and it’s directly inspired by Mexico’s Valle de Guadalupe wine country!
There are so many things that I love about Baja California (the people! the food! the creativity!) that it’s hard to list. But one thing I know for sure: Chef Sheyla Alvarado of TrasLomita in Valle De Guadalupe is one of my favorite chefs in the region. Sure, she’s younger and not as well-known as some of the first-generation Baja chefs who put the cuisine on the map. Still, she’s made a name for herself in the few short years she’s been at the helm at TrasLomita (the sister restaurant to one of my favorite wineries in Baja: La Lomita).
The first time I ever ate there she came out with this charred asparagus salad dish that totally stopped me in my tracks. It was not too fussy and totally farm-to-table to the max but way more complex that what it first looked to be. And that’s how her cooking is: there’s this subtle complexity that’s totally showstopping.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I’d be lying if I said I could recreate the same dish she made so this is more a nod to her than anything else. The pencil-thin asparagus are charred on a grill then tossed with a quick lime and olive oil combo.
The twist I added was making a twist on Egyptian dukkah (a seed-herb-nut mix used for dipping bread) and using classic Mexican ingredients like cumin, Mexican oregano, pistachios, and almonds.
The charred asparagus dish then gets finished with the best requesón (i.e., ricotta) you can find and a few nasturtium leaves (if you’re like me, you may have to forage them from a neighbor’s yard) and, while it’s not quite a chef Sheyla’s dish, it’s a showstopper just the same.
Recipe Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you need to make this charred asparagus:
- Almonds
- Sunflower seeds
- Mexican oregano
- Sesame seeds
- Cumin seeds
- Asparagus
- Lime
- Olive Oil
- Ricotta Cheese
- Scallions
- Nasturtium flowers
How To Make This Charred Asparagus Recipe
Here is how to make this charred asparagus:
- First make the dukkah by toasting the nuts and pushing them with the seeds and spices in a food processor.
- Then, grill the asparagus until golden and tender. Cut into bite-sized pieces and toss with olive oil and lime.
- Serve the asparagus topped with ricotta, dukkah, scallions, and nasturtium.
More Asparagus Recipes
Here are a few more of our favorite asparagus recipes:
Now, go stock up on all your cooking essentials, then head into the kitchen, make this, and share it with us by tagging @saltandwind and #swsociety on social!
Charred Asparagus With Requesón And Mexican Dukkah Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup whole raw almonds
or shelled raw pistachios, roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons toasted sunflower seeds
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
- 1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- Kosher salt and Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound pencil-thin asparagus
- Juice of 1 medium Lime
- Extra-virgin olive oil
for garnish
- 4 ounces high-quality fresh ricotta cheese
- 4 medium green onions (aka scallions)
thinly sliced, for garnish
- 1 handful nasturtium flower
trimmed, for garnish
Instructions
- For The Dukkah: Place the nuts in a large dry frying pan over medium-low heat and toast until fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the sesame and spices to the skillet and toast, shaking the skillet frequently, until fragrant about another 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the pan, cool slightly for about 2 minutes. Combine nuts, seeds, spices, and a pinch of salt in a mini food processor or mortar and pestle and pulse or grind until nuts and seeds are broken up and you have a uniformly coarse mixture. Set the dukkah aside until ready to use.
- For The Asparagus: Bring a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Meanwhile, brush the asparagus with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a 350°F oven or in a small frying pan over medium heat until dark brown but not burned, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool then cut into 1 1/2 to 2-inch pieces and toss with the lime juice and olive oil.
- To Serve: Place the asparagus in a serving dish, scatter a few spoonfuls of the ricotta all around, top with a few spoonsfuls of the dukkah then top with the scallions and nasturtium flowers and serve.
