Aspergeviolettevioletasparaguswithhollandaisesauce Recipes

ASPERGE VIOLETTE: VIOLET ASPARAGUS WITH HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

Steps:

• Asparagus: Trim the woody ends off the asparagus spears. One of the best ways to cook asparagus is to steam it upright in a small amount of water; this way, the delicate tips of the stalks will cook at the same rate as the thick bottoms. Use a tall, lidded pot, or a double boiler (invert the upper portion over the lower). There are also special asparagus cookers designed for this purpose. Or, you can lay the stalks flat in a collapsible vegetable steamer placed in a large skillet.
• To handle the asparagus easily, tie the spears into bundles of 10 with kitchen string. Add 2" of water to the pot, bring to a rapid boil, then cover. (You can add a clove of garlic, a slice of onion, or a lemon wedge to the water.) Cooking time: five to eight minutes, depending on the thickness of the spears.
• Hollandaise sauce: Melt the butter slowly in a medium-sized saucepan. Once the butter has melted, remove the pan from the heat and leave to one side.
• In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks.
• Whilst continuing to whisk, add the lemon juice, salt and pepper to the beaten egg yolks.
• Next, very slowly to begin with, whisk in the melted butter and the 2 tbsp of water. Continue to whisk constantly.
• Return the mixture to the saucepan, heat over a very low heat, still whisking all the time until the sauce thickens.
• Serve immediately or keep warm for up to 30 minutes before serving.
• Arrange the asparagus spears on a plate - add a knob of butter to them, and serve the little Hollandaise sauce in individual bowls for dipping. You can add fresh violets and a lemon wedge if you wish. Serve with crusty bread and chilled white wine. These amounts serve 4 people as a starter and 2 to 3 people as a main meal.

SAUTEED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Heat the butter and oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until they begin to soften, about 1 minute. Add the asparagus and season with 1 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Cook the asparagus, stirring occasionally, until cooked through but still bright green, about 4 minutes. Transfer the asparagus to a platter and garnish with lemon zest.

GARLIC-SAUTEED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Heat olive oil and sesame oil in a wok or skillet over medium-high heat; add garlic and decrease heat to medium. Cook and stir garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add asparagus, soy sauce, and water to garlic; cook and stir until liquid is mostly evaporated, about 3 minutes. Cover wok and cook until asparagus are tender yet firm to the bite, 5 to 10 minutes more.

ASPARAGUS WITH BLENDER HOLLANDAISE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; let cool about 5 minutes. Put egg yolks in a blender. With motor running, gradually add butter. Add lemon juice and cayenne; season with salt and pepper. (Sauce should be thick but fluid enough to drizzle from a spoon, and should form a pool, not a mound. If too thick, thin with warm water.) Season to taste with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Sauce is best used immediately, but can be stored in a thermos about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring 1 inch salted water to a boil in a large straight-sided skillet. Add asparagus, in batches if needed to avoid crowding. Cook until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes; drain. Serve warm or room temperature, with sauce.

SPARGEL - WHITE ASPARAGUS WITH EASY HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

Steps:

• Warm the olive oil or butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the peeled and trimmed asparagus, lemon zest, and salt & pepper; stir to combine.
• Cover and cook until tender-crisp, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not over cook.
• Arrange on serving platter and squeeze with fresh lemon juice.
• Prepare the Hollandaise Sauce: Cut the butter into four pieces and place in a 1-quart glass measure or bowl. Microwave, covered with a paper towel, on high, until almost melted (about 45 seconds to 1 minute).
• Remove butter from the microwave and stir until completely melted.
• Separate eggs, placing the yolks in a small bowl and setting the whites aside for another purpose. Beat the yolks well with a whisk or fork, then add to the butter and stir well.
• Add cream, lemon juice, and sugar to egg mixture and stir well. Microwave mixture, uncovered, on high, until just slightly thick, about 1 to 2 minutes, stopping every 20 seconds to stir with a fork. Remove sauce from microwave and stir in the mustard.
• Pour warm sauce over the cooked white asparagus and serve at once. Garnish with fresh snipped parsley or fresh small edible flowers such as violets or Johnny jump-ups, if desired.
• NOTE: Sauce may be kept warm for up to 2 hours in an insulated container. Or cool the sauce to room temperature and refrigerate it in a covered microwave safe container for up to 24 hours. To re-warm, cover container with plastic wrap, pierce wrap with a knife to vent, and microwave on 50 percent power until heated through, about 2-3 minutes, stopping to stir halfway through. Do not allow sauce to boil.