Verdant asparagus and crisp endive leaves combine with toasted hazelnuts and thin shavings of shallots to create a simple yet elegant salad that celebrates the season. But the true star of the show—a creamy spread made from Comté, olive oil, and water blitzed in a blender—is what sets this salad apart. Comté is an unpasteurized cow’s milk cheese hailing from the Franche-Comté region of France. Made in the Jura Mountains, the firm Alpine cheese is similar to nutty Swiss Gruyère but sweeter and more mellow. In this recipe the cheese is transformed into a light and airy spread that provides a savory foundation for crisp veggies, cloaking them in a cheesy blanket. The cheese spread, while delightful paired with this salad, can be used in countless ways: served with veggie sticks, spread under any other salad, or paired with crackers.
Recipe information
Total Time
30 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°. Toast ½ cup blanched hazelnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing halfway through, until golden brown and fragrant, 17–22 minutes. Remove from oven; sprinkle with kosher salt. Let cool, then coarsely chop. Set aside.
Step 2
Meanwhile, cook 1 bunch white and/or green asparagus (about 1 lb.), trimmed, cut on a diagonal into 2" pieces, in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water and let cool 2 minutes. Drain and transfer to paper towels; pat dry. Set aside.
Step 3
Blend 1 garlic clove, finely grated, 4 oz. Comté cheese, coarsely grated, 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, a pinch of kosher salt, and 6 Tbsp. cold water in a blender on high speed until very smooth and creamy (and slightly fluffy; almost like mayonnaise), 1–2 minutes for a high-speed blender or about 3 minutes for a regular blender. Taste and season Comté cream with more salt if needed. (It will thicken as it sits.)
Step 4
Place 3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar, 1 Tbsp. Comté cream, and remaining 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a small bowl; season with salt and freshly ground pepper and whisk to combine. Toss 3 medium endives, leaves separated, 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced into rings, reserved asparagus, and reserved hazelnuts in a large bowl to combine. Drizzle dressing over as desired (you may not need all of it); toss to coat. Taste salad and season with more salt if needed.
Step 5
Evenly spread remaining Comté cream over a platter and arrange salad on top. Scatter shaved Comté cheese over and season with more pepper.
Recipe notes
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