Asparagus Crudites With Mayonnaise Verte Food

ASPARAGUS CRUDITES WITH MAYONNAISE VERTE

Steps:

• Have ready a large bowl of ice and cold water. In a large saucepan of boiling salted water blanch asparagus 1 minute and transfer with tongs to ice water to stop cooking. Drain asparagus well in a colander and pat dry. Asparagus may be blanched 1 day ahead and chilled in a sealable plastic bag.
• Wash and dry parsley and in a blender purée with oil, verjus or lemon juice, and mustard until smooth. Stir purée into mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper.
• Serve mayonnaise with asparagus for dipping.
• *Verjus is available at some specialty food shops and by mail order from Dean and DeLuca. Call 212-226-6800 ext. 268

POACHED SALMON & ASPARAGUS WITH WILD GARLIC MAYONNAISE

Steps:

• For the mayonnaise, bring a pan of water to the boil and have a bowl of iced water ready. Plunge the garlic leaves into the boiling water for 30 secs, then lift out with a slotted spoon and drop into the iced water - this helps to keep the green colour. Leave for a few mins, then pat dry and put in a mini food processor with the egg yolks and mustard. Pulse until finely chopped, then scrape into a big mixing bowl. Pour the oils into a jug.
• Whisk the yolks mixture with an electric whisk. Slowly add the oil, first a drip at a time, then in a steady, thin drizzle - the mixture should thicken and start to look like mayonnaise. If at any point it starts to look greasy, add 1 tbsp cold water and continue whisking until all the oil has been added and you have a thick mayonnaise. Add the vinegar and season with salt and white pepper. Lay cling film directly onto the surface of the mayonnaise so a skin doesn't form, then chill. Will keep for 3 days in the fridge.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put a large sheet of baking parchment in a large roasting tin and arrange the asparagus in a line that's long enough for the salmon to sit on. Season, put the salmon on top and scatter over the lemon zest. Thinly slice the remaining lemon and put the slices on top of the salmon with the butter. Pour over the lemon juice and season. Bring the sides of the parchment up and over the salmon and scrunch together to seal, creating a tent over the fish. Bake in the oven for 30 mins.
• Bring the roasting tin to the table, open the parcel, and serve with a bowl of wild garlic mayonnaise and some new potatoes on the side.

ASPARAGUS WRAPS WITH LEMON MAYO

Steps:

• Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, tip in the asparagus and cook for 2 mins until just tender. Drain well. Quarter each slice of ham, into 4 shorter strips, then wrap one around the middle of each asparagus spear. Mix the mayo with the lemon zest and juice and a little pepper and put in a small bowl. Serve with the asparagus, warm or cold, for dipping.

BUTTER-FRIED ASPARAGUS WITH BLACK OLIVE & LEMON MAYONNAISE

Steps:

• First, make the mayonnaise. In a food processor, add the whole olives, egg yolks, vinegar, mustard and anchovy, and blend until you have a smooth paste. Slowly add the oil until it becomes thick and glossy. To finish, stir through the chopped olives, lemon juice and cayenne pepper.
• Next, in a pan over a low heat, warm the clarified butter until it melts. Put the flour, beaten eggs and brioche crumbs into three separate bowls. Dip the asparagus stem into the flour, leaving the tip uncovered, then dip it into the beaten egg and finally into the brioche crumbs. Repeat for each spear.
• Turn up the heat until the melted butter is hot. Add four spears of asparagus and fry for 1 min or so - it will cook quickly. Use a slotted spoon to lift them onto a plate lined with kitchen paper. Repeat with the remaining spears. After each batch comes out of the butter, grate over the Parmesan. Serve with the mayo.