Recipe

Herb Tossed White Asparagus, Fresh Crabmeat, And Grilled Radicchio Salad

Ingredients

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, basil, chervil, and/or tarragon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 pound fresh white asparagus, trimmed, blanched until tender, 6 to 8 minutes in salted boiling water, cooled in ice water, drained, then cut in half lengthwise
1 head radicchio (9 to 10 ounces), washed and quartered
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound fresh jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

Preheat the grill to medium heat.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. Whisk in the herbs and season with salt and pepper. Pour off 1/4 cup of the dressing and set aside.
Place the asparagus in a square glass dish. Pour the remaining vinaigrette over the asparagus, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Brush the radicchio with the 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on the grill, core side down, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Remove and thinly slice. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
In a medium-size mixing bowl, toss the crabmeat with the reserved 1/4 cup vinaigrette, the shallots, and the garlic, and season with salt and pepper.
To serve, fan out the leaves of the radicchio and stuff the crabmeat between the leaves. Remove the asparagus from the vinaigrette, reserving the vinaigrette. Arrange the asparagus on the bottom of a large serving platter. Place the radicchio over the asparagus. Drizzle the entire platter with the reserved vinaigrette and sprinkle with the cheese and parsley. Serve immediately.