Seafood and Asparagus Salad with Ginger Vinaigrette

Asparagus stands up quite well with sharp flavors like ginger and chile peppers. They actually accentuate this vegetable’s flavor. This recipe makes for an eye-catching appetizer or elegant light lunch. 

Yield: 4 servings

Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

Salad

• 1 lb (450 g) firm-fleshed fish fillets like mahi-mahi, sea bass, about 1 1/2 inch (3,8 cm) thick
• 12 large shrimps, peeled, deveined
• 1 lb (450 g) green asparagus
• 1/2 red pepper, cut into 1/2 inch (1,2 cm) slices
• 1/2 green pepper, cut into 1/2 inch (1,2 cm) slices
• 1/2 yellow pepper, cut into 1/2 inch (1,2 cm) slices
• 4 Tbsp grape seed oil or canola oil
• 1/2 cup (65 g) roasted peanuts coarsely ground
• 1/4 cup (15 g) scallions, finely sliced
• 1/4 cup (7 g) cilantro (coriander leaves) or flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Vinaigrette:

• 1 large shallot, finely diced
• 4 Tbsp rice vinegar or white balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
• a pinch of cayenne
• 1 fresh red chile pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) grape seed oil or canola oil

Preparation:

Asparagus:

Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add salt. Cut tough asparagus ends and discard. Slice each asparagus spears into 2 inches (5 cm) pieces. Place asparagus into boiling water and cook for about 2-3 minutes or until “al dente”. Take care not to overcook. Drain asparagus and refresh them under cold water to arrest cooking. Place it on paper towels to drain and cool.

Seafood:

In the meantime, pat fish fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat grapeseed oil over high heat. Pan roast fillets for about 3-4 minutes on one side. Carefully flip fillets on the other side and continue cooking until golden on the edges. Remove fish from the saucepan and set aside to cool on a plate. Add shrimp to the same saucepan and sauté shrimp until they just turn pink about 2 minutes. Set aside.

Vinaigrette:

Put shallots in a small bowl. Add vinegar, sugar, mustard, cayenne, red chile peppers, salt and freshly ground pepper. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, sesame oil and grape seed oil. Mix it well and set aside. Adjust seasoning to your liking.

Assembling the Salad:

Put asparagus and peppers in a serving bowl. Add half of the vinaigrette and toss to coat. Scatter fish, shrimp, scallions and ground peanuts on top of it. Drizzle with remaining vinaigrette. Garnish with cilantro (coriander leaves) and serve immediately.