Asparagus & Truffle Oil Spread

Last year, from April through November, I hosted a series of home preserving classes at our shop, The Boulevard Market.  Freezing, canning, drying, pickling, lacto-fermenting and even liqueurs and candied peel!  The classes were based on in season produce.

It's been a great way to share knowledge, experience and recipes for the entire group!!  I thought I'd share the favorite from last year (I shared with this year's group too :)) as we are nearly at the end of asparagus season.

I created the Asparagus Spread to be stored in the freezer and have a versatility to it in everyday cooking.  This recipe makes a great appetizer with slices of baguette, a base for asparagus soup (add 3 cups chicken/vegetable stock) an easy savory tart on it's own, or spread onto a pastry crust and top with eggs for a quick and delicious quiche.  It's also fantastic stirred into freshly prepared linguine pasta!

The ingredients are a tad more expensive, but it's truly worth the effort and expense for such an elegant, easy, tasty variety of dishes.

Asparagus Spread with Truffle Oil

1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces

1 stick butter

1 8 ounce carton mascarpone

Salt & pepper to taste

2 Tablespoons Truffle Oil

Saute asparagus in large sauté pan over medium heat about 6 minutes with butter until barely soft, and bright green.

Remove from heat and add mascarpone cheese, salt, pepper and truffle oil.  Stir until combined and place in freezer containers.  Let cool to room temperature then place in freezer up to one year.

The Boulevard Market sells this for $12.98/ bottle.  Not cheap, but worth it!

 

First Asparagus of the Season

Asparagus says "Spring" to me, like no other vegetable.  The tender little stalks poke through the soil on the first warm sunny spring day and their bright green shoots grow a foot overnight.  Some stalks have a beautiful purple tinge, stocky little fellows waiting for a sharp knife!

We are fortunate to have parents who planted a patch years ago and of course my farmer brother.  Others forage the roadsides looking for the telltale ferny stalks swaying in the breeze.

Our first harvest of the season is always served the same way!  I steam my stalks until just fork tender.  It only takes about 5 minutes for skinny stalks, 7 for the biggies.  If serving the asparagus cold, I immediately plunge the stalks into ice water.  This recipe also works extremely well with grilled asparagus!

In a blender, I make homemade mayonnaise (so simple, I promise) and add about a tablespoon of soy sauce.  Serve warm or cold.
   
HOMEMADE MAYONNAISE

1	cups oil
2	tablespoons rice wine vinegar or lemon juice
1	tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2	teaspoon salt
1	egg

In a blender, break egg, add vinegar, salt and mustard.  Set on blend and begin adding oil in a constant thin
stream until emulsified and thick.  Stir in soy sauce to taste and use immediately.

*There is a raw egg in here, so please use a source you trust for untainted eggs.

We usually make our own mayo this way and love it!  You can substitute any vinegar or citrus juice for a custom recipe.  Homemade mayo is light and tasty for all dips, spreads, salads etc. and it's so easy to make!  I've successfully replaced Extra Virgin Olive Oil for 1/2 of the vegetable oil as well and it's even tastier! 

I love the crunchy stalks with the creamy dressing and we always try a couple stalks will the rest of supper finishes!