Oven-baked asparagus with green sauce
8 servings
Ingredients
| Quantity | Ingredient | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | pounds | Medium asparagus - trimmed and peeled* |
| 2 | cups | Loosely packed flat leaf parsley leaves |
| 2 | cups | Loosley packed fresh basi leaves |
| 3 | tablespoons | Fresh lemon juice - strained |
| 1 | each | Egg - at room temperature |
| 5 | eaches | Oil-packed anchovy fillets |
| 2 | tablespoons | Olive oil |
| Salt | ||
| 2 | tablespoons | Small (nonpariel) capers - drained |
| 1 | each | Clove garlic - peeled |
| 1 | teaspoon | Dijon mustard |
| ½ | teaspoon | Salt |
| ½ | teaspoon | Freshly ground black pepper |
| ¾ | cup | Olive oil |
Directions
GREEN SAUCE
* Pencil-thin asparagus may look properly infantile (a necessary quality in a spring vegetable), but medium asparagus are usually more affordable and have more flavor. Bending the stalks until they snap and then discarding the bottoms is wasteful. Instead, cut off the woody ends and then, using a swivel-bladed vegetable peeler, pare the stalks about halfway up, or to where the peel becomes tender.
GREEN SAUCE: In a food processor combine all ingredients except the olive oil; process until smooth. With the machine running, slowly add the oil through the feed tube; the sauce will thicken. Adjust the seasoning. (The sauce can be prepared up to 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate, but return to room temperature before use.) Makes about 1-¾ cups.
ASPARAGUS: Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 450F. On a jelly-roll pan toss the asparagus with the olive oil. Set on the rack and bake, stirring once or twice, until the asparagus is just tender and lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes.
Arrange the asparagus, hot or warm, on individual serving plates.
Drizzle generously with green sauce and serve immediately.
Serves 8.
This dry-heat method of cooking asparagus concentrates and sweetens the vegetable's subtle flavor, while the robust salsa verde adds a pungent accent.
Serve as a sit-down first course with Roast Leg of Lamb with Caramelized Shallots.
Source: Cooking for the Weekend Calories per serving: Number of Servings: 8 Fat grams per serving: Approx. Cook Time: Cholesterol per serving: Marks:
Submitted By ROBERT MILES On 04-01-95