Skip to main content

Asparagus with Vin Santo Vinaigrette

Vin Santo is known as the Wine of Saints, and some of the very best is produced in northern Italy. It’s drunk mostly as a dessert wine (it’s perfect for dipping biscotti), but I also like to use it in vinaigrettes because of its smooth, sweet flavor. It brightens up the asparagus and makes this simple salad more luxurious.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups Vin Santo (about 375 milliliters)
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed
6 Bibb lettuce leaves
1 hard-cooked egg, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds (see page 168)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a small saucepan, reduce the Vin Santo to 1/3 cup over medium heat, about 10 minutes. In a small jar or plastic container with a tight-fitting lid, combine the reduced Vin Santo, olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper. Shake to combine, making sure the mustard is fully incorporated.

    Step 2

    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the asparagus and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer the asparagus to a bowl filled with ice water and let it cool, about 3 minutes. Drain the asparagus and pat dry with paper towels.

    Step 3

    Place the lettuce leaves in a serving bowl and arrange the asparagus on top. Top with the hard-cooked egg and chopped almonds. Drizzle the entire salad with the vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

Everyday Pasta
Read More
Like potato pea chowder and green goddess grain bowls.
Thinly sliced and cooked hot and fast, pork tenderloin is the juicy, cook-quicking weeknight champion of this vegetable-heavy stir-fry.
Keep this easy frittata recipe on hand for quick breakfasts, impressive brunches, and fridge clean-out meals.
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Chopped kimchi and soy sauce transform mellow tuna salad into your new favorite riff on the classic diner sandwich.
This lasagna soup delivers rich, baked-pasta flavor without an oven. Made with Italian sausage and spinach, it’s a fast, weeknight-friendly take on the classic.
Filberts, goobers, scaly bark nuts: Explore the world beyond almonds in this guide.
The most efficient method takes less than an hour, but you might not even need it.