Green Salad with Asparagus

Rinse the lettuce, spin dry and tear into bite-size pieces. Rinse  the asparagus, peel the bottom third and cut off the tough ends. Combine about 1 liter (approximately 3 1/2 cups) of water with 1 teaspoon salt, the sugar and lemon juice in a pan and bring to a boil. Add the asparagus and simmer for 6-8 minutes until al dente.

Peel the shallots and chop finely. Coarsely chop the pecans. Whisk together the shallots, walnut oil and vinegar in a small bowl.

Drain the asparagus and save 3-4 tablespoons of the cooking water. Rinse the asparagus with cold water and drain well. Mix the cooking water into the dressing and season with salt, pepper, and sugar.