Asparagus With Fish And Eau De Vie Recipes

ASPARAGUS FISH BUNDLES

Steps:

• Wrap each fillet around 5 asparagus spears; secure with toothpicks. Place in 13x9 inch baking dish coated with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with green onions. Bake, uncovered, for 12-15 minutes longer or until fish flakes easily with a fork and asparagus is crisp-tender.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the sauce ingredients until blended. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened.
• Discard toothpicks from fish; serve with sauce.

PAN-COOKED ASPARAGUS AND MIXED FISH

Steps:

• Get a really large frying pan, or 2 smaller ones, on the heat and add a glug of olive oil. Score the skin of your fish fillets all over, about 1/2-inch deep, and season. Put the fish fillets into the pan, skin side down, with the squid tentacles. Add the scallops. Run your knife down 1 side of each squid to open them out, then quickly and lightly score the inside in a crisscross fashion. Lay them in the pan, scored side down. Add the asparagus and gently shake the pan. Cook for a few minutes, then turn everything over and cook on the other side. Sprinkle over the thyme tips.
• You're the one in control of the pan, so if something looks cooked, take it out and keep it warm. Don't watch things burn! When the fish has crispy skin, the scallops are golden brown with caramelized edges and the squid has curled up and is nicely charred, remove the pan from the heat. Put the squid on a chopping board and roughly slice it into pieces at an angle, then return to the pan. Lay the fish fillets on each plate. Toss the asparagus, scallops and squid with half the chile, a good drizzle of good quality extra-virgin olive oil and the lemon juice. Lightly season and mix together. Divide on top of the plated fish. Sprinkle with the rest of the chopped chile and the fennel tops, and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.

SALMON AND ASPARAGUS WITH MAîTRE D'HôTEL BUTTER

Steps:

• For the maître d'hôtel butter: With a mortar and pestle, mash the anchovies together with the horseradish (see Cook's Note). Add the honey, Dijon, butter, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Combine to form a cohesive paste. Add the parsley and mix to combine. Set aside. If not using right away, transfer to a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap and, using the wrap, form it into a cylindrical shape; refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• For the asparagus: Cut or snap off the woody ends of the asparagus. Place the asparagus and 1 tablespoon water in a shallow microwave-safe baking dish. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 2 1/2 minutes. Remove, then drain and season with the oil, salt and pepper, lemon zest and parsley.
• For the salmon: Place 2 salmon fillets in a shallow bowl or plate. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and microwave on 50% power in 1-minute increments until the salmon is cooked to your liking, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Transfer to plates. Repeat with the remaining 2 fillets.
• While the filets are still warm, dollop with some of the maître d'hotel butter on top and allow it to melt (save the remaining maître d'hotel butter for another use). Serve with the asparagus and lemon wedges.

FISH WITH ASPARAGUS AND BURST TOMATO-SHRIMP SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a medium saute pan. Sprinkle the fluke with the coriander and salt and then dredge on both sides in some flour, tapping off the excess flour (you want just enough to coat). Place the fillets in the hot pan and cook until golden brown on the first side, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook an additional minute on the second side, or until cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• Deglaze the pan with the white wine and cook until reduced by half. Add half of the minced garlic and the cherry tomatoes and shrimp. Cook until the shrimp is pink and cooked through and the tomatoes have burst, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil and oregano.
• Meanwhile, add the asparagus to a pot of salted boiling water and cook until bright green but not completely tender, about 3 minutes. Shock in an ice bath and place on paper towels to dry.
• To a skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil, the remaining garlic and the blanched asparagus. Cook until hot and tender.
• To serve, arrange some asparagus on a serving plate, top with a fish fillet and then with some sauce.

FABULOUS BAKED FISH AND ASPARAGUS SPEARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Heat a large ovenproof nonstick skillet on the stovetop over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the EVOO to the pan, once around the pan. Add the fennel seeds, garlic, and shallots to the pan and cook for 2 minutes.
• Rinse the fish fillets and pat them dry. Season the fish with salt and pepper, and set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine the capers, tomatoes, the remaining tablespoon of EVOO, the balsamic vinegar, basil, and clam juice. Add the mixture to the skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Slide the fish fillets into the pan. Spoon the sauce over the fish and transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake the fish for 15 minutes, or until cooked through, adding the bread to the oven to warm through for the last minute or two.
• While the fish cooks, boil the asparagus in an inch of water for 3 minutes, then drain and dress it with a little lemon juice and a pinch of salt.
• Serve the fish with lots of juice for mopping up with crusty bread and the asparagus spears alongside.

SEA BASS WITH ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Prepare a large bowl of ice water. Fill a medium pot with about 4 quarts water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add a generous handful of salt. (The water should taste like sea water.) When the water boils, add the asparagus and cook for 2 minutes. Drain with a slotted spoon or strainer and plunge into the ice bath. Remove to paper towels and pat dry. Set aside.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper. Add some oil and bring to lightly smoking, then place the fish in the skillet skin-side down. Cook until the skin is crispy, 6 to 7 minutes, then flip to the other side and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more. (If the skillet is getting too hot, reduce the heat.) Remove from the heat and top the skin side with the chopped herbs and salt.
• Mix the diced tomatoes with the drizzle of honey, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Remove some of the grease from the skillet. Add the shallots, salt and white wine to the skillet and bring to a boil. Add the butter and cook until the sauce thickens, then drop the dried asparagus into the sauce. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Toss to coat the asparagus.
• Place the lemon segments and tomatoes around each of 2 plates. Top with the asparagus, a spoonful of sauce and then the fish (skin-side up). Garnish with additional fresh herbs.