Provençal vinaigrette asparagus with mimosa garnish

Ingredients

Directions

If it's Christmas in France, then The Cook and Kitchen Staff must prepare for you the Reveillon, the holiday feast. One of the grandest meals of the entire year in France, this sumptuous repast is traditionally served on Christmas Eve. There is no single Reveillon menu that must be followed, as the courses vary widely with the region.

For almost 15 centuries, the French have celebrated Christmas in their own unique way, presenting an astounding Reveillon to old and young alike, followed by the singing of beloved Christmas songs and reminiscing. The children place their shoes by the hearth in preparation for a visit from Pere Noel, and dinner is served. It's Noel in France.

Today's recipe would be an excellent side service for the Reveillon. There will most likely be a variety of cheeses and winter fruits on the holiday table, nestled next to today's recipe. Anchovies, garlic, olive oil, and hard-cooked eggs are a typical Provençal flavor combination. Why not try it with your holiday feast this year? Using a rubber spatula, press the cooked eggs through a coarse sieve and reserve the mashed eggs in a small bowl.

Crush garlic with the flat side of a chef's knife. Sprinkle with salt and crush again, using the side of the knife, until you have formed a paste.

Scrape the crushed garlic into a covered jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Add olive oil, red or white-wine vinegar, mustard, anchovy paste, and pepper to the jar; cover, and shake the mixture until well blended.

Meanwhile, rinse asparagus spears and trim the ends. Boil or steam asparagus for 10 to 15 minutes, drain, and arrange on a serving platter.

Let cool for about 5 minutes, then drizzle the vinaigrette over, and sprinkle with the sieved eggs.

Posted to dailyrecipe@... by Recipe-a-Day <recipe-a-day@...> on Dec 11, 1998, converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.