RAW ASPARAGUS SALAD WITH WALNUTS & PARMESAN
From Joshua McFadden's Six Seasons, a favorite cookbook. Notes: Bread Crumbs: I love whizzing up stale bread in the food processor and toasting the crumbs in olive oil. If you're not up for this, panko bread crumbs would be fine. I would still toast them in olive oil before adding them to the salad. You also could omit the bread crumbs and add more walnuts in their place. Also: You only need 1/3 cup of toasted bread crumbs for this recipe, but I find it easier to make a large batch of crumbs than a small one. Save the remaining crumbs for other salads, soups, or eggs. They're irresistible!
Provided by Alexandra Stafford
Categories Salad
Time 20m
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Place day-old bread in the food processor and whiz until fine. Measure out 1.5 to 2 cups of crumbs. Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add the crumbs and the salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crumbs are golden brown. This could take 5 to 15 minutes (or longer) depending on your heat level. If you have the time, go slowly to prevent burning. When the crumbs are nice and golden, turn off the heat. Let cool briefly. Taste. Add more salt if necessary. Measure out 1/3 cup of the crumbs - this is the amount the original recipe calls for. You can use more if you wish.
- Place the walnuts in a medium skillet. Set the skillet over low heat. Allow the walnuts to toast slowly while you prepare the salad. Remove them from the heat when they smell and look toasty. You can chop them on a cutting board or by gently crushing them in a tea towel.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the asparagus thinly on the bias.
- In a large bowl, combine the toasted walnuts, the 1/3 cup (or more!) toasted bread crumbs, the grated Parmigiano Reggiano, the crushed red pepper flakes (starting with 1/4 teaspoon if you are sensitive to heat), salt and pepper to taste, and the zest of the lemon. Stir to combine. Add the asparagus and toss to combine. "Taste and dial in the flavors by adding more salt, black pepper, chile flakes, or lemon juice. When the flavors are bright and delicious, add the mint (if using) and 1/4 cup olive oil." Toss to combine. Taste and adjust the flavors again if necessary.
- Transfer to a serving platter. Crack more pepper over top if you wish.
SAUTéED SCALLOPS WITH ASPARAGUS PURéE
This elegant, simple recipe is perfect for special occasions and weeknight dinners alike. Briny-sweet scallops are quickly seared, then served on a velvety emerald swath of asparagus purée for springtime flare. Keep the asparagus tips intact for texture, and follow Michael Ruhlman's tricks to bring out the vegetable's bright green hue.
Provided by Michael Ruhlman
Categories main-dish
Time 30m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Asparagus: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Salt the water generously (make it as salty as seawater). Trim the woody ends from asparagus and discard; then submerge asparagus in the boiling water. Cover with lid just until the water comes back to a boil, then uncover and cook until al dente (tender but with just a little crunch), 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice water.
- Asparagus are done when they bend without snapping. Use a spider strainer to transfer them to the ice bath; submerge and stir to immediately stop the cooking. Reserve cooking water (to thin purée). Cut asparagus tips and reserve for garnish. Cut stalks into 2-inch pieces and set aside.
- Place asparagus stalks in the blender and cover with lid; pulse a few times. Remove the smaller cap in the lid and turn blender to medium speed. Ladle in a slow stream of cooking water (about ½ cup) to help the asparagus purée. Use caution, as the water and purée are hot! Replace the cap, then purée on high speed. When the purée is smooth, strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl to remove any fibrous strands. Salt the purée to taste and set aside.
- Scallops: Place scallops on paper towels in an even layer and pat dry; this is an important step to get a nice sear. Pull off and discard any tough side-muscles (their fibers run against the grain of the rest of the scallop). Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, then add oil. (Add more as needed to coat the bottom of the skillet.) When the oil begins to ripple, add scallops in an even layer without crowding. Let cook undisturbed, 60-90 seconds. Scallops are ready to flip when they are evenly caramelized and no longer stick to the skillet. Before flipping, sprinkle with sea salt. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the asparagus purée.
- When scallops are golden brown on the first side, they should release easily from the skillet. Using a small offset spatula, flip each scallop to sear the second side; continue sautéing, 30-45 more seconds, depending on size. Remove scallops to a paper towel-lined plate and let rest while finishing the sauce.
- Add half of the asparagus tips to the warmed purée. Add butter, then swirl the saucepan continuously until all the butter has melted and emulsified into the purée to make a rich sauce.
- Immediately before serving, add the lemon juice to the asparagus sauce and stir to combine; taste and adjust seasoning. Divide the sauce among plates or large bowls, then place the scallops on the sauce. Garnish with remaining asparagus tips and serve immediately.
PURéE OF ASPARAGUS SOUP
By now, those of you who follow my work have seen a number of simple pureed soups that begin with onions, potatoes and leeks. Here's another one. The beautiful pale green soup is all the more fragrant because I use the asparagus trimmings for the broth.
Provided by Martha Rose Shulman
Categories dinner, weekday, soups and stews, appetizer
Time 1h30m
Yield Serves six
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- Combine all of the ingredients for the broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Strain and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, and add the leek, onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook gently for five minutes, stirring often, until the onion and leek have softened. Add the garlic, stir together for a minute, then add the potatoes, broth, bouquet garni and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Add the chopped asparagus (not the 12 spears), and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, and remove the bouquet garni.
- Puree the soup with a hand blender or, working in 1-1/2 cup batches, ladle the soup into a blender. Place a towel over the blender, and pull it down tightly to prevent splashing. Blend each batch, then (whether you pureed the soup in the pot or in a blender) put through a medium strainer, pushing it through with the bottom of your ladle or with a spatula. Return to the pot. Heat through, and add the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
- Meanwhile, steam the 12 asparagus spears for four minutes, until just tender. Refresh with cold water, then slice about 3/4 inch thick.
- Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish each serving with a handful of sliced asparagus, sprinkle with tarragon and serve.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 103, UnsaturatedFat 2 grams, Carbohydrate 19 grams, Fat 3 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 2 grams, SaturatedFat 0 grams, Sodium 1539 milligrams, Sugar 2 grams
PURéED ASPARAGUS
Provided by Mark Bittman
Time 30m
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- 1 1/2 pounds trimmed and chopped asparagus and add 1 large peeled and cubed potato in 2 tablespoons butter to soften, about 5 minutes
- Add 5 cups stock or water; boil, cover, lower the heat and simmer until asparagus is tender, about 15 minutes
- Cool slightly, purée, strain and refrigerate
- Garnish: Lemon juice and olive oil.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 198, UnsaturatedFat 7 grams, Carbohydrate 18 grams, Fat 11 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 8 grams, SaturatedFat 4 grams, Sodium 291 milligrams, Sugar 6 grams, TransFat 0 grams
PAN-SEARED ASPARAGUS WITH CRISPY GARLIC
Before asparagus got moved to its own botanical family, Asparagaceae, in the early 2000s, it was part of the lily family along with onions, chives, shallots and garlic. It makes sense then, that asparagus and garlic make such a good duo. When cooked with care, both can be mild and sweet (or pungent and bitter when cooked carelessly). To highlight the best of both ingredients, gently fry garlic into chips for a crispy topping, then use the lightly infused oil to sauté the asparagus. Both thin and chubby spears work, as would nearly any other vegetable you like with garlic: broccoli, kale, snap peas, fennel and more.
Provided by Ali Slagle
Categories vegetables, side dish
Time 10m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Place a paper towel-lined plate next to the stove. In a medium or large skillet, combine the garlic and olive oil over medium-low heat. Cook, shaking the skillet often, until the garlic is very light golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, tilt it, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the garlic to the towel-lined plate, leaving the remaining oil in the skillet. Season the crispy garlic with salt.
- Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add the asparagus, season with salt and pepper, and cook, shaking often, until bright green, crisp-tender and browned in spots, 4 to 5 minutes. Slide onto a platter, including any oil in the skillet. Top with the garlic chips and season again with salt and pepper.
ASPARAGUS PUREE
Use this simple puree to make Asparagus Risotto from chef Marco Canora's "Salt to Taste" cookbook. Photo credit: John Kernick
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Vegetables
Yield Makes enough for 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Bring a small saucepan filled with water to a boil over high heat. Prepare an ice-water bath; set a medium bowl in ice-water bath and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large shallow saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and reduce heat to low; cook, until onion is soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add asparagus; stir to coat.
- Add enough boiling water just to cover asparagus; let cook for 2 minutes. Drain asparagus mixture in a fine mesh strainer and transfer to bowl set in ice-water bath; let cool slightly.
- Transfer asparagus mixture to the jar of a blender along with spinach leaves. Add enough water just to blend; blend until smooth.
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