Asparagus With Salsa Verde Recipes

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.

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.

SMOKED SALMON, BBQ ASPARAGUS AND HALLOUMI WITH SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• Brush haloumi with oil and brown up on a hot plate until crust forms.
• Brush asparagus with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and chargrill until you get the desired effect.
• For salsa verde, place parsley, lemon juice, capers, olive oil and parmesan in a food processor and blend until smooth.
• Place haloumi on plate, top with rocket and asparagus.
• Spoon over some salsa verde, layer on slices of salmon and garnish with lemon wedge and drizzle over olive oil.

OVEN-ROASTED SPRING VEGETABLES WITH SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• Squeeze juice from lemon halves into large bowl; add lemon halves. Fill bowl with water. Trim stem of 1 artichoke. Starting at base, bend leaves back and snap off where leaves break naturally, continuing until all tough outer leaves have been removed. Using small sharp knife, trim outside of base until smooth and no dark green areas remain. Cut artichoke lengthwise in half. Using tip of knife, remove any purple-tipped leaves from center. Add artichoke to lemon water. Repeat with remaining artichokes. Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Drain artichokes. Add to boiling water; cook until just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain; set aside. (Can be made 1 day ahead; cover and chill.)
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 3 large rimmed baking sheets with nonstick spray. Arrange artichoke halves, fennel and leeks in single layer on 2 prepared sheets. Arrange asparagus and carrots in single layer on third sheet. Brush vegetables with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast vegetables until tender, turning over halfway through, about 35 minutes total for artichokes, fennel and leeks and 20 minutes total for asparagus and carrots.
• Divide vegetables among 6 plates. Drizzle Salsa Verde over and serve.

SHAVED ASPARAGUS WITH ARUGULA AND PARMESAN

Steps:

• Snap off and discard the tough ends of the asparagus. Using a mandolin, sharp vegetable peeler or thin-bladed knife, slice the asparagus lengthwise into paper-thin ribbons.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil to make a dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper
• Place the asparagus ribbons in a shallow salad bowl. Season lightly with salt and pepper and coat with half the dressing. Add the arugula, tossing gently to distribute the asparagus. Drizzle with the remaining dressing.
• With a vegetable peeler, shave thin curls of Parmesan over the salad. Accompany with a platter of sliced prosciutto, if desired.

PAN-SEARED HALIBUT WITH SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• Grate enough zest from lemon to measure 1/2 teaspoon and squeeze 2 tablespoons juice. Chop capers and in a small bowl whisk together with zest, lemon juice, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Add 1/4 cup oil in a slow stream, whisking constantly until blended. Whisk in herbs.
• Pat halibut dry and season with salt and pepper. In a nonstick skillet heat remaining tablespoon oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and cook halibut, turning once, until golden brown on both sides and just cooked through, about 7 minutes total. Serve halibut topped with salsa verde and garnished with lemon wedges.