Asparagus Salad in Smoky Sauce

This dish is an adaptation of a Japanese classic that’s typically made with spinach. Here the woodsy-sweet flavor of the asparagus is beautifully complemented by the bonito flakes that garnish the vegetable. Japanese asparagus is pencil thin and appears in the market from early spring through the rainy season in July. In America, the season for fresh asparagus is a bit longer, allowing us to enjoy this dish well through the summer and even into the fall.