Asparagus with a Lemon Vinaigrette

From My Carolina Kitchen

For poached asparagus, My Carolina Kitchen’s Basic Recipe for Poached Asparagus is shown below. If you prefer to GRILL your asparagus, just dress your grilled asparagus with the lemon vinaigrette below, garnish with the sliced lemons and serve right away.

Garnish

2 lemons, sliced thinly and seeds removed

Lemon Vinaigrette

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ to 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard to taste

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots

Dash of hot sauce such as Tabasco

Maldon sea salt, or other good sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place all of the ingredients into a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well. Easily doubled or tripled. Set aside while you cook the asparagus. This vinaigrette saves well in the refrigerator for a day or two. The mustard is used to emulsify the vinaigrette and keeps it from separating and the shallot and hot sauce bring added flavor and are highly recommended.

Photo: asparagus with lemon vinaigrette

My Carolina Kitchen’s Basic Recipe for Poached Asparagus

From My Carolina Kitchen – Sam Hoffer

1 lb fresh asparagus, tough lower ends snapped off

2 teaspoons salt

Water flavored with low sodium, low fat beef broth* to taste

After tough ends of asparagus have been removed, peel the remaining ends unless the asparagus is thin; if thin, leave as is. Bring water flavored with beef broth and 2 teaspoons salt to a boil in a shallow pan. Add asparagus, turn heat to low and cook for about 4 minutes until asparagus is crisp tender, taking care not to overcook. Immediately plunge the asparagus in an ice water bath to stop the cooking and retain the green color.

After a minute or two, remove the asparagus and dry well with a towel. Dress with a vinaigrette. Then you may either chill it for about an hour or serve it at room temperature.

Cook’s notes: I like to flavor my asparagus water with beef broth. It isn’t necessary, but it does bring a very nice flavor to the cooking broth.

This delicious recipe brought to you by My Carolina Kitchen