Shaved Asparagus Salad, Grilled Grissoni and Salumi Guanciciale

Another Evening of Entertainment at the girls' school tonight starts the countdown to the end of another school year.  The end of school is met with mixed emotions.  It means my gals are another year older and getting ever further away from being my little babies.  But it also means summer is just around the corner... woohoo!  Limited by time, I opted for a simple light dinner and a nice glass of red wine.  It is one of our favorite meals, too often overlooked.

Some good bread and a couple of nice pates go well with a clean shaved asparagus salad.  
On the plate were a wild boar country pate, duck mousse pate with port wine, cornichon, Panzella Grissoni and Essential Bakery's Rustic Baguette (Chris' favorite).


For the salad (serves 2):
8 Thick asparagus spears
1/4 cup grape seed oil
2 tsp champagne vinegar
1/2 tsp honey
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste


shaved parmigiano reggiano
2 pieces of Grissoni bread
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp fig  condiment
1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
4 thin slices of Salumi Guanciciale


Shave the asparagus using a vegetable peeler.  I have one that peels a thicker peel and it works perfectly for the asparagus.  Peelers are different and you'll need one that peels a thicker slice.  Mix the grape seed oil, vinegar and honey together.  


Mix together olive oil, fig condiment, and balsamic vinegar.  Brush bread with the dressing and grill the bread for just a couple of minutes on a very hot grill.  Just a bit of char but not too crispy.


Toss asparagus with enough of the dressing just to coat.  Sprinkle with a little kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.  Top with grilled bread and a couple slices of the Salumi Guanciciale and finish with shaved parmigiano reggiano.    The Guanciciale is made from the jowels of the pig and cured.  Delish.