Asparagus Flemish Style Food

SAUTEED ASPARAGUS WITH GARLIC AND THYME

Steps:

• Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high. Add garlic and thyme sprigs. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add asparagus; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing to coat in oil, 1 minute.
• Arrange asparagus in a single layer in skillet, add 1/4 cup water, and cover. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, shaking pan occasionally, until asparagus is crisp-tender and most of water has evaporated, 2 minutes.

ASPARAGUS, FLEMISH STYLE

Steps:

• Trim white asparagus, if using, with vegetable peeler, from just under tip to stem end to remove woody skin. If using green, trim just hard stem end.
• Bring large pot of salted water to boil.
• Bundle asparagus up and tie with kitchen twine. Trim ends evenly. Gently place in boiling water and immediately lower heat to simmer. If using white asparagus, cover pot. If using green, DO NOT cover, as it will lose it's fresh green color. Simmer for approximately 15-30 minutes, depending on thickness of stems. When tender, remove bundle and carefully drain on kitchen towel, being careful of tender tips.
• Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan. If the eggs are completely cold, plunge into hot asparagus water for 1 minute. Remove, dry and peel.
• In a small bowl, mash the complete egg with a fork. Add the melted butter, lemon juice, parsley, nutmeg and salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
• Arrange the asparagus on individual plates. Pour Flemish sauce to cover all but the tips of the asparagus. Serve immediately while everything is still warm.

ASPARAGUS WITH HOLLANDAISE

Steps:

• Hold both ends of a stalk of asparagus and bend it until it snaps. Then use a knife to trim the remainder of the bunch to match. Discard the trimmed stems.
• Bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook, uncovered, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes depending on the thickness. Drain in a colander.
• Meanwhile, put the egg yolk, lemon juice and cayenne in a blender. Pulse a couple times to combine.
• Put the butter in a small microwave proof bowl and heat in a microwave until just melted. With the blender running, gradually add the melted butter into the egg to make a smooth frothy sauce. If the sauce is really thick blend in a teaspoon of lukewarm water to loosen it up.
• Transfer the asparagus to a plate. Pour the sauce over the top of the asparagus, sprinkle with more cayenne if desired and serve right away.

WHITE ASPARAGUS WITH SERRANO HAM & CHIVE DRESSING

Steps:

• Trim the asparagus, then peel the stems with a potato peeler. Boil in salted water for 12-15 mins until the spears are tender. Drain well.
• Whisk together the lemon juice, mustard and honey with some salt and pepper. Whisk in the oil, then stir in the chives just before serving.
• Divide the warm or cold asparagus between 4 plates. Lay the ham on top and drizzle over the dressing.

BELGIAN WHITE ASPARAGUS WITH SHRIMP AND SCRAMBLED EGGS

Steps:

• Fill a pot with enough water for the cleaned asparagus to be fully under. Add some salt. Place the pot on the stove and add the asparagus to the cold water. Turn on full heat and leave the asparagus in the water until it cooks.
• Peal the shrimp in the meantime and fry them with some butter in a pan. Season with plenty of salt, pepper en garlic. While they cook, go ahead and whisk your eggs in a bowl with some salt and pepper.
• When the shrimp are done, take them out and add some more butter to the pan. In this pan, make scrambled eggs. Making the eggs in the same pan will give them a great taste.
• When the water for the asparagus boils, turn off the heat but let the asparagus float in the water for about 5 minutes. To check if they are done, poke them with a fork, if the asparagus falls of before your fork leaves the water, they are done.
• Place asparagus on a plate, pile on the eggs and decorate with the shrimp. Use nice, green, fresh parsley for garnish.