pat's Recipe

ASPARAGUS WITH TARRAGON MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE

Category: Vegetable

2 dozen jumbo green asparagus spears

1/2 cup Tarragon Mustard Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Select a large saucepan wide enough to hold all the asparagus horizontally. Fill it with water, salt generously, and bring to a boil over high heat. Fill a large mixing bowl with ice cubes and water and set the bowl on a counter nearby.

While the water is coming to a boil, prep the asparagus. Rinse the spears under cold running water. One at a time, hold a spear in on hand about a third of the way from its cut end. With your other hand, firmly grasp the cut end and bend it until the toughest part of the stalk snaps off. Discard that cut end. With a paring knife or vegetable peeler, peel off 1 to 2 inches of the tough green outermost skin from that end of the spear. Set aside. Repeat with the remaining spears.

When the water has reached a full rolling boil, carefully add the asparagus to the water. Cook until tender but still firm, when the tip of a small sharp knife can easily pierce the thick end of a spear, about 5 minutes from the time the water returns to a boil.

As soon as the asparagus is done, carefully drain and immediately immerse the spears in the bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process and set the green color.

Drain the asparagus thoroughly, patting it dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Transfer to individual serving plates or a serving platter.
Spoon some of the dressing lightly over the asparagus, passing more for guests to add to taste.

TARRAGON MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE

Makes about 2-1/2 cups

2 tablespoons Sherry wine vinegar or other good-quality wine vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon leaves

2 cage-free egg yolks

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pinch freshly ground black pepper

2 cups safflower oil or vegetable oil

Put the vinegar, mustard, tarragon, egg yolks, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Whisk briskly until smoothly blended.

Put the oil in a measuring cup with a pouring lip. While whisking the vinegar-mustard-egg mixture continuously and briskly, start adding the oil in a very thin, slow, steady stream. As the mixture begins to emulsify, turning thick, smooth, and creamy, increase the flow slightly while you continue whisking, adding all the oil to complete the dressing.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to several days, reserving extra dressing for other vegetables or salads.

Serves 4.