Chef/owner Kevin O’Donnell, Giusto, Newport
I’ll admit I’ve become a little obsessed with n’duja, a spreadable salumi from Italy pronounced en-DOO-ya. Once you try it, you’ll be putting it on everything from pizzas to pastas and more. It’s spicy, salty and helps balance the slightly bitter and earthy flavors of asparagus and the sweetness and acidity of ripe strawberries. The unexpected secret ingredient here is hummus, which gives the sugo (sauce) a nice creamy texture. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon cooking olive oil
- 2 tablespoons n’duja (see note below*)
- 1 shallot, peeled and finely diced
- 1 pint strawberries, trimmed and quartered
- ¼ cup water or vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon local honey
- Kosher or sea salt, to taste
- ¼ cup finely grated Narragansett Creamery Atwells Gold or parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons plain hummus
- Juice and grated zest of 1 lemon
- 2 bunches asparagus, cleaned and woody ends trimmed
- Pickled radishes for garnish (see recipe below*)
- ½ cup small fresh mint leaves for garnish
- ¾ cup champagne vinegar
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 6 breakfast radishes, washed, sliced and seasoned with salt
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°F. In a small saucepot, add olive oil, n’duja and shallots and cook on low until the shallots are soft and translucent and the n’duja has rendered its fat. Next, add the strawberries, water, honey and season with salt. Cook together on low until the strawberries break down and combine with the n’duja. (Depending on their ripeness, you may want to break them up a bit more with a potato masher or back of a wooden spoon.) Turn the heat off and finish by stirring in the Atwells Gold, followed by hummus, lemon juice and zest. Adjust seasoning with salt if needed.
Place the asparagus on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Roast in the oven for 4 to 5 minutes, or until they get a slight char but keep their snap and firmness. Serve immediately topped with the strawberry n’duja sugo, pickled radishes and mint leaves.
*Note: Look for n’duja in Italian markets, well-stocked grocery stores or online.
Pickled radishes:
In a small saucepot, bring vinegar, water and sugar to a boil. Pour over the radishes in a heat-proof bowl. Allow to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate up to 1 week.
