ASPARAGUS SALAD WITH GRAPEFRUIT MOUSSELINE
Serves 4
Pickled onions
1 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 medium red onion, julienned
MOUSSELINE
1 cup grapefruit juice
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks
Salt, pepper to taste
Grapefruit dressing
1 cup grapefruit juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 ounce champagne vinegar
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
SALAD
20 4-inch spears asparagus
2 grapefruits
Leaves from 1 head butter lettuce and 2 heads baby lettuce
1/2 cup ricotta salata, crumbled
1. For the pickled onions: In a saucepan on the stove, bring vinegar to a boil. Add sugar, stirring to dissolve. Pour hot liquid over onions, so they are completely submerged. Let cool, then transfer to refrigerator and let pickle for 24 hours.
2. Mousseline: In a saucepan on the stove, reduce grapefruit juice to 1 ounce; cool. Fold grapefruit syrup into mayonnaise, then into the stiffly whipped cream. Season to taste.
3. Dressing: Using the same pan, reduce the grapefruit juice to 1 ounce; let cool. Whisk in remaining dressing ingredients; season to taste.
4. Blanch asparagus until crisp-tender. Plunge into ice water. Drain; pat dry.
5. With a sharp knife, cut peel from each grapefruit, then cut out each segment.
6. Pour about 2 ounces of mousseline in the center of each plate. Arrange 5 asparagus stalks on top. Toss lettuces with dressing; stack leaves over the asparagus, alternating types of lettuce. Garnish with ricotta salata, grapefruit and pickled onions.
(Recipe courtesy Barbara Llewellyn, Barbara Llewellyn Catering)
