I was straightening up the test kitchen’s bookshelves last week when I came across “Chef on a Shoestring: More Than 120 Inexpensive Recipes for Great Meals From America’s Best-Known Chefs” (Simon and Schuster Paperbacks, 2001). The book grew out of a regular segment on CBS’s Saturday Early Show, where chefs were challenged to create a three-course meal for $20 (starting in 1997). The amount was raised to $30 in 2001, and it is now $40. Royalties from the book are donated to Share Our Strength.

My first thought was that these chefs know how to shop, because their recipes included lobster, veal, saffron and other pricey ingredients. My second thought was that they know how to eat well, because many of the recipes are unusual and enticing.

Recent episodes are on the CBS news website (Chef on a Shoestring page).

One of the tips to shopping on a budget is to buy what’s in season. As a bonus, in-season food tastes better, too. With that in mind, here’s an asparagus salad from Marcus Samuelsson, whose Aquavit restaurants are in New York, Stockholm and Tokyo.

Asparagus and Bean Sprout Salad With Dill Pesto

Yield: 4 servings

Coarse salt

1/2 pound large green asparagus, peeled (average-size supermarket stalks, not “jumbo” or “colossal”)

1 bunch fresh dill (25-30 sprigs), large stems removed

1 cup mixed salted nuts

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

2 cups bean sprouts

Prepare an ice bath in a bowl large enough to hold the asparagus.

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add asparagus; cook 4 minutes. With tongs or slotted spoon, transfer asparagus to ice water. Remove asparagus from ice water; dry on paper towels. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces.

Place dill, nuts and Parmesan in a food processor; pulse until smooth. With machine running, slowly drizzle in oil in thin, steady stream. Process until emulsified with a slightly grainy consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Reserve 1/4 cup pesto. Toss asparagus and sprouts with remaining pesto; divide among 4 salad plates. Spoon a small amount of reserved pesto around perimeter of each plate. Serve immediately.