Butter Poached Asparagus With Thyme Food

BUTTER-BRAISED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Snap off and discard the tough bottoms of the asparagus spears. If using large, thick asparagus, peel the lower ends with a vegetable peeler.
• Put butter in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add asparagus in one layer and season with salt and pepper. Add 1/2 cup water, cover, and bring to a simmer. Cook until the asparagus is firm-tender, about 3 minutes. Take care not to overcook them; they should still be bright green. (They will continue to cook a bit once the heat is off.) Remove the asparagus from the pan and place on a serving platter.
• Turn heat to high and simmer briskly until most of the liquid has evaporated, a minute or so. Add lemon juice and zest to the buttery juices. Turn off heat and stir in chives, parsley, tarragon and dill, if using. Check seasoning. Spoon the sauce over the asparagus, garnish with a few herb leaves, and serve.

BUTTER POACHED VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and radishes and cook until slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add the asparagus and radish tops, if using, along with 1/4 teaspoon salt, a few grinds of pepper and 1/4 cup water. Bring the water to a simmer, then cook, covered, until the asparagus are just barely crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the vegetables are all crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tarragon, lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and pepper.

PAN-ROASTED ASPARAGUS WITH THYME

Steps:

• Melt butter with oil and thyme sprigs in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add asparagus in single layer; using tongs, toss to coat. Sauté, turning often, until crisp-tender and beginning to brown in spots, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with fleur de sel and pepper and serve.

SKILLET GLAZED CARROTS WITH THYME

Steps:

• Spread the carrots in a single layer in a large skillet with a lid. Add enough water to cover the carrots halfway and then add the butter, sugar and thyme. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Partially cover with the lid and simmer until the carrots are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat to high and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until the liquid almost completely evaporates and the carrots are glazed. Discard the thyme sprigs and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh thyme if using.

BUTTER-POACHED ASPARAGUS WITH THYME

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 bunch trimmed asparagus and 1/4 cup water. Cook, turning the asparagus, until crisp-tender and glazed, 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon chopped thyme.

CARAMELIZED ONIONS WITH THYME

Steps:

• Heat the butter and olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or pan set over medium-high heat. Peel and slice the onions into rounds while the butter is melting and add them to the pot. Toss to coat the onions and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Turn the heat down to medium and do not cover the pot. You want these babies to get brown! Stir occasionally, for about 10 to 15 minutes, then turn the heat to medium-low. Keep stirring (switch to a spatula or wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits) until the onions are browned and soft. Add the thyme leaves, toss and remove from the heat. These will keep for 5 days in a covered bowl in the refrigerator. Use the leftovers with eggs, on top of a salad, or straight from the bowl with a fork.

MILK-POACHED ALASKAN HALIBUT WITH ASPARAGUS AND MOREL MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Pat halibut dry and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. In large, heavy skillet over moderately high heat, heat vegetable oil until hot but not smoking. Add fish, skin side up, milk, cream, and wine. Bring to light simmer, cover, and place in oven until just cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove halibut from liquid, cover, and keep warm. Reserve poaching liquid.
• While halibut is in the oven, cook asparagus in 8-quart pot boiling salted water until tender, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon or tongs, remove asparagus from water and transfer to large bowl. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and toss gently to coat. Cover and keep warm.
• In heavy 10-inch skillet, heat remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil until hot but not smoking. Add morels and sauté 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and add sherry vinegar and thyme, stirring to scrape up any morels that might stick to bottom of skillet. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/8 tablespoon pepper.
• Place poaching liquid over high heat and simmer until reduced by half. Remove from heat and stir in butter.
• Divide asparagus between 8 plates. Peel skin off halibut and place 1 filet on top of asparagus on each plate. Divide morels among plates. Spoon sauce over fish and serve immediately.

OVEN-ROASTED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°. Place asparagus in a 15x10x1-in. pan. Toss with melted butter and green onions; spread evenly. Sprinkle with salt., Roast until crisp-tender, 10-15 minutes.

POACHED EGGS WITH TARRAGON ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Place 3 in. of water in a large skillet with high sides; bring to a boil. Add asparagus; cook, uncovered, 2-4 minutes or until asparagus turns bright green. Remove asparagus and immediately drop into ice water. Drain and pat dry., In a separate large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic; cook and stir 1 minute. Add asparagus, tarragon, salt and pepper; cook asparagus 2-3 minutes or until crisp-tender, turning occasionally. Remove from pan; keep warm. In same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add bread crumbs; cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until toasted. Remove from heat., Add 2-3 in. fresh water to skillet used to cook asparagus. Bring to a boil; adjust heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Break cold eggs, one at a time, into a small bowl; holding bowl close to surface of water, slip egg into water. , Cook eggs, uncovered, 3-4 minutes or until whites are completely set and yolks begin to thicken but are not hard. Using a slotted spoon, lift eggs out of water; serve over asparagus. Sprinkle with toasted bread crumbs.

WHITE ASPARAGUS WITH MUSHROOMS IN BROWN BUTTER

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of sugar-salted water to a boil. Add asparagus and cook until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towel.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet. When the butter begins to turn brown, add the mushrooms, and cook over fairly high heat, stirring often, until just tender, about 8 minutes. Add shallots and fresh thyme and stir until softened, for about 2 minutes. Add the asparagus and continue to cook until warmed through. Add lemon juice, chopped parsley and whole parsley leaves. Season with salt and pepper.

ASPARAGUS, POACHED EGG, PROSCIUTTO AND FONTINA CHEESE

Steps:

• To roast the asparagus: Place the asparagus in a large bowl, drizzle the olive oil over it and sprinkle with the salt, tossing to coat.
• Scatter 16 of the thyme sprigs onto a baking sheet and lay the asparagus over them to cover.
• Roast in a preheated 450-degree oven for about 10 minutes, until tender to the touch but firm in the center.
• To grill the bread: Butter each side of each slice.
• In a pan over medium heat, lightly brown each side; remove to a plate and let cool just long enough to handle.
• Rub one side of each slice with the garlic clove, then place on a baking sheet, garlic side up.
• Arrange the asparagus evenly over the bread.
• To poach the eggs: Use Paula G's easy poaching method Recipe #118761, or in a medium saucepan, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil.
• Turn the heat down to just below a simmer and add the vinegar and salt.
• Crack an egg into a small bowl to check that the yolk isn't broken.
• Slowly stir the water in one direction to create a whirlpool effect.
• Once the whirlpool has slowed a little, carefully slide the egg into the water against the side of the pan, following the current of the water as you pour, so the white envelops the yolk.
• Repeat the process with each egg, poaching them for 2 to 2-1/2 minutes until the whites are set and the yolks are runny.
• Carefully remove them with a slotted spoon to a plate; cup the eggs with your hand and tip the plate to drain off the water.
• To assemble: Center an egg on top of the asparagus on each toast; drape a slice of the cheese over each egg.
• Heat the sandwiches under the broiler just until the cheese melts.
• Remove the sandwiches from the oven, rumple a slice of prosciutto over each, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with fresh pepper.
• Garnish with the remaining thyme; serve immediately.