Asparagus
 

I find myself blessed with an abundance of asparagus this year. Does anyone know of a marinated type of aspargus salad. Or any other really great recipes. I am going to freeze some for this winter. piegirl

[B]substitute asparagus for the green beans in the first recipe
[/B]



[B]Green Bean salad with Olive Dressing[/B]

[B]Serves 6[/B]

1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed and blanched

[B]Dressing[/B]
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 anchovy filets
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/3 cup chopped kalamata olives
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper

1/3 cup shaved parmesan cheese

Place the green beans in a large bowl and set a side.

To prepare the dressing place the vinegar, garlic, anchovy, and mustard in a bowl and mash the anchovies well with the back of a spoon. Whisk the olive oil in and stir until smooth. Season with salt and black pepper. When ready to serve heat the dressing until boiling in a sauté pan. Pour over beans and toss well. Place on a platter and top with shaved parmesan cheese. Serve room temperature.


[B]Grilled Asparagus Salad with Crab, Shrimp and Crispy Pancetta[/B]

[B]Serves 6[/B]

1/3 pound peeled, diced shrimp
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 pound fresh crab meat
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Black pepper

6 slices pancetta, cooked until crispy

11/2 pounds trimmed asparagus
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Fleur de Sel

Heat a small sauté pan with oil. Add the shrimp and cook just until just cooked through. Cool the shrimp and place in a bowl. Add the crab, garlic, and onion and mix well. Add the basil, vinegar, olive oil, and black pepper and toss well. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Preheat oven to 425°.
Place the asparagus on a sheet pan and drizzle with the olive oil. Season with salt. Place in the oven and cook until the asparagus is al dente, about 5 minutes depending on the thickness of the asparagus. Distribute the asparagus on the plates then top with the salad and crispy pancetta. Serve.

[IMG]http://www.caprialandjohnskitchen.com/images/shim.gif[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.caprialandjohnskitchen.com/images/shim.gif[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.caprialandjohnskitchen.com/images/shim.gif[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.caprialandjohnskitchen.com/images/shim.gif[/IMG]

Asparagus with Sweet and Pungent Dressing
 

[B]Ingredients[/B]

[LIST][*][LIST][*] 1 pound asparagus, trimmed[*] 1 teaspoon cooking oil[*] 1/2 teaspoon salt[*] Dressing[*] 2 tablespoons plum sauce, or hoisin[*] 2 tablespoons rice vinegar[*] 2 tablespoons soy sauce[*] 1 tablespoon sesame oil[*] 1 teaspoon chili oil[*] 2 teaspoons sugar, or honey[*] 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder[*] Chopped toasted walnuts for garnish[/LIST]
[B]Instructions[/B][*][LIST=1][*]Cut asparagus diagonally into 1 1/2-inch slices. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add oil, salt, and asparagus. Cook until asparagus is crisp-tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain rinse with cold water, and drain again. Pat dry with paper towels.[*]Combine dressing ingredients in a bowl. Add asparagus and toss to coat.[*]Arrange asparagus on a serving plate and garnish with walnuts.[/LIST] [/LIST][B]Notes[/B][INDENT]From [I]Martin Yan's Culinary Journey Through China[/I]
Martin Yan Notes: When the weather warms up and asparagus is in season, I like to prepare it Sichuanese-style: quickly blanched in boiling water until crisp-tender; then chilled and tossed in a sweet, mustardy dressing. This dish is easy to prepare ahead of time, but wait until the last minute to add the dressing so the asparagus retains its bright color.


Yield 4 servings
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