Asparagus Provencal Recipes

ASPARAGUS PROVENCAL

Steps:

• Steam asparagus until tender crisp, drain and pat dry.
• In a large skillet, heat olive oil.
• Add the asparagus, tomatoes, garlic and salt and pepper.
• When vegetables are lightly browned, sprinkle them with lemon juice and serve hot as a side dish or cold as a salad.

PROVENCAL ASPARAGUS WITH TOMATO (FRENCH)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cut a small "x" in the bottom of the tomato. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the tomato and cook it for 30 seconds. Remove it to a bowl of salted iced water. Add the asparagus in the boiling water and blanch for 1 minute. Remove the asparagus to the iced water bath to cool down, then drain both the tomato and the asparagus. Peel the tomato, remove the seeds, and roughly chop it. Cut the asparagus into 1-inch pieces and set aside.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the tomato, garlic, herbs, and lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook until the tomato begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the asparagus and cook until is just tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Spoon the mixture into an ovenproof casserole and scatter with some Parmesan shavings. Bake until the cheese is melted and lightly browned, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.

ASPARAGUS PROVENCAL

Steps:

• Preheat an Omelette Pan on medium heat until the rim of the pan is hot-to-the-touch.
• Add the olive oil and heat for another minute.
• Add the garlic, shallots, tomatoes and asparagus.
• Cook for 3-4 minutes and remove from the heat.
• Remove to a serving platter, garnish with the chiffonade of basil, and season with salt and pepper.

ASPARAGUS WITH MOUSSELINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Snap the ends off the asparagus. Then, using a vegetable peeler, peel about 2 inches off the thickest part of the stems.
• Bring a big pot of water, with the salt and the sugar, to a boil. Drop in the asparagus, and cook for about 15 minutes, depending on the thickness. Pierce with a fork to see if they are tender; white asparagus should be cooked softer than green asparagus. Drain, and set aside.
• Meanwhile, to make the mousseline, separate the egg, and put the yolk in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the mustard, red-wine vinegar, and salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Pulse to combine. With the motor running, gradually drizzle in the oil until it emulsifies and you have a thick, creamy mayonnaise.
• Beat the egg white to stiff peaks. Mix half of the beaten egg white into the mayonnaise, then gently fold in the other half to make a very fluffy mousseline. Serve the hot asparagus with the mousseline on the side.

ASPARAGUS, HAM, AND POACHED EGG SALAD

Steps:

• Prepare a large bowl of ice water.
• Fill the pasta pot with 3 quarts of water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the coarse salt and the asparagus. Blanch, uncovered, until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. (Cooking time will vary according to the size and tenderness of the asparagus.) Immediately remove the colander from the water, letting the water drain from the asparagus. Plunge the asparagus into the ice water so they cool down as quickly as possible and retain their crispness and bright green color. (The asparagus will cool in 1 to 2 minutes. After that, they will soften and begin to lose crispness and flavor.) Drain the asparagus and wrap it in a thick kitchen towel to dry. (Do not cook the asparagus in advance or it will lose its crispness.)
• Break each egg into a ramekin or small cup. Set aside. In a large, shallow saucepan, bring 2 inches of water to a boil. Add the vinegar. One by one, bring the edge of a ramekin or cup level with the surface of the water and slide the egg in gently. Turn off the heat and cover the pan. Poach the eggs until the whites are firm but the yolks are still runny and are covered with a thin, translucent layer of white, about 3 minutes.
• With the sieve or slotted spoon, carefully lift the eggs from the water and transfer them to several thicknesses of paper towels.
• Place the salad greens and chives in a large salad bowl. Toss with just enough dressing to coat the greens lightly and evenly.
• Place the asparagus on a large plate and add just enough dressing to lightly coat the spears. Roll the asparagus in the dressing.
• Arrange the dressed greens at one side of each of 4 large dinner plates. (Rectangular plates are particularly beautiful here.) Carefully place a poached egg alongside. Arrange 4 asparagus spears next to the eggs. Carefully drape a slice of ham over each of the poached eggs. Season the greens lightly with fine sea salt and generously with pepper. Sprinkle with chives. Serve with the toast.

ROASTED WHITE ASPARAGUS WITH HERBES DE PROVENCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Trim 1 1/2 inches off the bottom of each asparagus stalk. Lay flat on a cutting board and peel off outer layer.
• Transfer to a casserole dish and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle herbes de Provence, salt, and black pepper over asparagus.
• Roast in the preheated oven until lightly browned, about 20 minutes.