Asparagus With Salsa Verde And Scarlet Onions Recipes

ASPARAGUS WITH SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• Trim the asparagus by snapping off the woody, tough ends, and peel thick asparagus. It will look and taste better. Bring a quart or two of water to a boil in a wide pan, generously salt to taste.
• FOR THE PICKLED RED ONION: While the water is coming to a boil, pickle the red onion and make the sauce. To make the pickled red onion, peel a whole, small red onion, then slice it thinly into rounds. Separate the rounds and put them in a bowl, then cover with a white wine or rice wine vinegar and a few pinches salt. Toss them with your finger so that they are all coated, then refrigerate until you need them. It takes only about 10 to 15 minutes for the color to blossom.
• FOR THE ORANGE ZEST: Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Zest a few strips of orange peel in wide bands. Julienne the bands into thin strips and blanch in boiling water for 10 to 15 seconds. Drain and chop half of the orange rinds into a fine dice. Set aside.
• Add the trimmed, peeled (if necessary) asparagus to the wide pan of salted boiling water, and cook until it is tender and bright green, about 5 minutes for thin asparagus, 7 to 8 minutes if it is thick. Set the cooked asparagus on a towel to drain briefly.
• FOR THE SAUCE: Meanwhile, combine the chopped parsley and capers in a bowl. Mince half the slivered orange zest and add it to the bowl along with half of the pickled onion, minced. Stir in the mustard, orange juice, vinegar, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
• TO FINISH: Drain the asparagus. Lay the asparagus on a platter. Ladle the sauce over the stems and garnish with the remaining slivers of orange peel and pickled onion.Suggestions: You can vary the taste by using aromatic sesame or peanut oils in place of the olive oil. Both flavors go well with asparagus and also harmonize with orange. Keep the parsley or use cilantro instead if you're wild for that herb. Other spring herbs to consider including are tarragon, lovage, chives and chervil and all are excellent with asparagus.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS WITH SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• Arrange an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Trim about 1 inch off the bottom of the asparagus and discard. Arrange the asparagus in a single layer on the baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Place the baking sheet in the center of the oven and roast until slightly tender and lightly browned, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the mustard and vinegar to a medium blow. Grate the zest of the lemon into the bowl and squeeze in the juice. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil. Mince the garlic and add to the bowl. Mince the anchovies and add to the bowl along with the anchovy oil. Finely chop the parsley, including the stems, and add to the bowl. Chop the mint leaves and add to the bowl. Cut off and discard the woody bottoms of the tarragon. Chop the remaining tarragon and add to the bowl. Chop the pickle and add to the bowl along with the pickle brine. Mix together with a spoon and taste for seasoning. Refrigerate if not using immediately.
• Season the asparagus with salt and drizzle with the honey. Spoon some of the salsa verde over the asparagus and transfer to a platter. Top with additional salsa verde.

ASPARAGUS SALSA

Steps:

• Place the asparagus, carrots, radishes and red onions in a food processor and pulse a few times until the vegetables are finely diced but not pureed.
• Transfer to a large bowl and add the dill, scallions, serrano chile, lemon zest and juice. Mix together well, season to taste with salt and pepper and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the flavors to develop if time allows. The salsa can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

ASPARAGUS WITH SALSA VERDE AND SCARLET ONIONS

Steps:

• Separate sliced onion rings and toss with vinegar and a pinch of salt. Set aside in refrigerator.
• If asparagus spears are thick, peel stalks and cut off tough stem ends. If they are thin, snap off bottom of each stalk where it breaks easily and trim ends. Simmer asparagus with water to cover until bright green but still a little firm, about 3 minutes for thin spears, 5 minutes or longer for fat. They can be a bit underdone. Remove to a towel to dry; asparagus will finish cooking as it sits.
• Put parsley, tarragon and capers in a bowl. Finely dice half the orange zest, then dice half the pickled onion. Add diced zest and onion to bowl. Stir in oil, mustard, orange juice and vinegar to taste. Season with salt and pepper.
• Lay asparagus on a platter. Ladle sauce over stems and tips and finish with remaining slivered orange zest and pickled onion rings. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.