The warm feelings the soups in this chapter evoke in me are not purely physical—although nothing is more warming than a bowl of steaming soup on a cold Texas night (yes, we have them!). I feel so much nostalgia when I prepare and serve these soups, whose delicious aroma and flavor belie how very simple they are to make. That simplicity was absolutely crucial for my mom. With four kids and a husband to feed every day, her approach to food had to be “how quickly can we get something good on the table?” These days my own busy life often puts me in the same frame of mind, and that’s when I most appreciate these soups, full of flavor and amazingly quick to pull together. Plus, most can be made vegetarian simply by using vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock—a real plus when I’m serving meat-averse friends.
My favorite salads, the ones I return to again and again, evolved from the trial and error of combining ingredients and flavors I like. Occasionally I would stumble upon a combination that I scribbled on a scrap of paper so that I had a prayer of replicating it! One cardinal truth I’ve learned over the years is that for green salads, the greens are the key. Tender butterhead lettuce is my absolute favorite, whether dressed simply with extra-virgin olive oil and a little balsamic or in the more layered Butterhead Lettuce Salad with Strawberries. On the other side of the spectrum is peppery arugula, whose sharp bite is a welcome counterpoint to succulent shrimp in Grilled Shrimp on Arugula. And in between the two is baby spinach, which I love tossed with Buttermilk Dressing or in the perennial favorite, Baby Spinach with Beets and Goat Cheese.
baby spinach with beets and goat cheese
butterhead lettuce salad with strawberries
asparagus with grey moss inn white french dressing
This soup is as smooth as velvet and has the warm, orange hue of autumn that always looks beautiful in the soup bowl. The cream adds richness, but you can leave it out for a lighter soup that is nonetheless very satisfying.
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
½ cup chopped yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
6 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash (from about a 2-pound squash)
5 cups Chicken Broth, Vegetable Broth, or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth
½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (optional)
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup heavy whipping cream (optional)
1. In a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, garlic, and a pinch of the salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the squash and stir to coat with butter. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, the thyme (if using), the remaining salt, and the pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the squash is very tender, about 12 minutes.
2. Transfer the soup in batches to the work bowl of a food processor and puree until very smooth.
3. Return the soup to the pot and stir in the cream, if using. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
4. Heat through, but do not allow the soup to boil or the cream may curdle. Ladle the soup into 4 to 6 soup bowls and serve hot.
FROM AUNT ELSA’S KITCHEN As long as their skin is free of any cuts, butternut squash and other winter squash will last for two to three months stored in a cool, dry place. So the next time you see them at the farmer’s market, stock up!
My friends request this recipe more often than any other. I am often asked if it’s a family recipe. I take it as a compliment that people always seem so surprised to hear that I found it in a magazine when I was about twelve years old. I’ve made it so many times since then and it has evolved into what it is today. I think it’s so delicious—and popular!—because of its clear but very flavorful broth. So often tortilla soup is heavy, but this one is hearty without being unpleasantly thick.
In fact, I make such a large batch because everyone always wants seconds and thirds. On the rare occasions that I’ve had leftovers, I’ve discovered that the soup keeps very well, and even gets better, stored in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator. The garnishes keep well stored in zip-top bags; keep the fried tortilla strips at room temperature and everything else in the refrigerator. When serving the second day, just place all the garnishes at the bottom of the bowl and ladle the soup over.
I use two kinds of dried chiles—ancho and pasilla—because they add more depth and smoky notes to the broth. Use more or fewer chiles depending on how strong you want their flavor to be. For more on dried chiles.
MAKES 14 TO 16 SERVINGS
4 pounds chicken legs
4 pounds chicken thighs
12 cups Chicken Broth, store-bought low-sodium chicken broth, or cold water
4 dried pasilla chiles
4 dried ancho chiles
6 tomatoes, chopped
1 large white onion, diced
6 large garlic cloves, peeled
2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
2 large bunches of fresh cilantro, leaves chopped
FOR SERVING
1 cup vegetable oil, plus more if needed
36 white or yellow corn tortillas, sliced into ¼-inch-thick strips
1 head iceberg lettuce, cored and shredded
6 large avocados, pitted, peeled, and diced
3 cups grated or crumbled queso fresco (about 12 ounces)
1. In a large stockpot, place the chicken legs and thighs and the broth or cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is opaque throughout and tender when pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes. With a slotted spoon remove the chicken from the pot and set aside to cool. Set aside the stockpot of broth. As soon as the chicken is cool enough to handle, pull off and shred the meat; discard the skin and bones.
2. Meanwhile, place the pasilla and ancho chiles in a medium saucepan and add cold water to cover. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until the chiles are soft, about 10 minutes. Drain the chiles and remove their stems and veins. If you want a spicier bite, keep the seeds; if not, remove the seeds as well.
3. In the work bowl of a food processor, place the chiles, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and the salt. Process until smooth, adding a ½ cup of the reserved chicken broth to loosen the mixture if it is too thick.
4. Stir the chile puree and half of the cilantro into the broth. Bring to a simmer over low heat, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Taste and add salt if needed. Stir in the reserved chicken and the remaining cilantro and remove the pot from the heat.
5. While the broth is simmering, line a baking sheet or large plate with paper towels. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking and shimmery. Add a handful or two of tortilla strips—they can be touching but not overlapping—and fry just until lightly browned around the edges, about 45 seconds. Use tongs or a spider to transfer the strips to the paper towels, tossing and moving them around so they take on squiggly shapes as they cool and harden. Continue in batches until all the tortilla strips are fried, adding more oil to the pan if necessary.
6. When ready to serve, place the lettuce, avocado, and queso fresco in separate bowls to make serving easier.
7. For each serving, place a few tortillas strips and a scoop of lettuce in a soup bowl. Ladle the soup into the bowl. Top with a spoonful of avocado, sprinkle some queso fresco on top, and serve.
When I was a kid we grew all our own vegetables, especially calabasa, or squash. LOTS of squash. To be honest, I got a little sick of it (don’t worry—my mom already knows). Then I grew up and figured out a few surefire ways to show off the delicious earthiness and sweetness of summer squash. This soup is one of them; the lemon gives it great tang and the soup is unexpectedly creamy, even though there’s not a bit of cream or milk in it.
Be sure to puree this soup in batches—don’t pour the soup over the level of the top of the food processor blade. This soup is brothy before it’s pureed, and it’ll seep out of the work bowl and all over the counter if you’re not careful.
MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium leeks (white and light green parts), finely chopped
2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt to taste
6 medium yellow squash, coarsely chopped
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
6 cups Chicken Broth, Vegetable Broth, or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth
Juice of 1 small lemon (about 2 tablespoons), or to taste
1. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Stir in the leeks, onions, garlic, and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the squash and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash begins to soften, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the chicken broth and increase the heat to high. Bring to a boil and boil gently for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes.
2. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs. Transfer the soup in 3 or more batches to the work bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth. Pour the soup back into the soup pot and reheat over medium heat until hot. Stir in the lemon juice and salt to taste. Ladle into 6 to 8 soup bowls and serve.
FROM AUNT ELSA’S KITCHEN Tie the thyme sprigs together with kitchen string so you can just pluck the bundle out after the soup is cooked.
I love the refreshing flavor and heat of fresh ginger and this soup shows it off beautifully, especially if you use the full three tablespoons of ginger listed below. It even causes a pleasant burn in the back of your throat. If you prefer a little less assertiveness, use just two tablespoons. Either way, keep in mind that ginger becomes more pronounced over time, so although the soup stores very well, the ginger’s bite will become stronger.
Many recipes for carrot and other pureed vegetable soups call for toppings of one kind or another, but I really prefer to let the natural flavors of the soup and veggies shine through, so I skip them. You can always top with a scattering of whatever fresh herb is in the soup, though, which is very pretty and highlights the flavors already in the soup. Be sure to cook the carrots until they are very tender so that they’ll puree to a silky smooth soup.
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt
2 pounds carrots, chopped
2 to 3 tablespoons peeled and chopped fresh ginger
5 cups Vegetable Broth (recipe follows) or store-bought low-sodium vegetable broth
2 sprigs of fresh thyme, plus fresh leaves for serving, if desired
1 fresh or dried bay leaf
Ground black pepper to taste
½ cup whole milk
1. In a large soup pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 6 minutes. Stir in the carrots and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Stir in the vegetable broth, thyme, bay leaf, and a few grindings of black pepper. Increase the heat to high. Bring to a boil and adjust the heat to boil gently for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the carrots are very soft, 20 to 25 minutes.
2. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Transfer the soup in batches to the work bowl of a food processor and puree until very smooth. Pour the soup back into the soup pot and reheat over medium heat until hot. Stir in the milk. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the soup into 4 to 6 soup bowls and garnish with thyme leaves, if desired. Serve hot.
FROM AUNT ELSA’S KITCHEN The most time-consuming part of this and the Butternut Squash Soup is the chopping. You can buy the carrots or squash already chopped in many stores, but they’re ridiculously expensive. To get ahead for the busy week without breaking the bank, spend a little time over the weekend peeling and chopping carrots and winter squash by hand or, even faster, by pulsing in the food processor. Place the chopped vegetables in a zip-top freezer bag and freeze until needed. The soups come together in no time when the chopping is done ahead.
MAKES ABOUT 8 CUPS
2 medium yellow onions, each cut into 8 wedges
3 carrots, coarsely chopped
2 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
1 leek (white and light green parts), coarsely chopped
4 sprigs of fresh parsley
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 fresh or dried bay leaf
¼ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1. In a large stockpot, place the onions, carrots, celery, leek, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, peppercorns, and 12 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the broth is flavorful, 30 to 45 minutes.
2. Strain the broth through a mesh strainer and discard the solids; do not press on the vegetables while straining or the broth will turn cloudy. Let cool.
3. Store in tightly covered containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze up to 6 months.
This soup can be pulled together in minutes, and it’s one of the most soul-satisfying things I make. It should be very brothy so the orzo just floats in the rich, lemony broth. The pasta will absorb the broth as it sits, so serve as soon as it’s ready.
SERVES 2 TO 4
4 to 5 cups Chicken Broth (recipe follows), Vegetable Broth, or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth, or as needed
1 cup dried orzo pasta
Juice from 1 to 2 small lemons (2 to 4 tablespoons juice)
2 large egg yolks
Pinch of kosher salt
1. In a small saucepan, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Stir in the orzo and cook until al dente, 8 to 9 minutes. The soup should be very brothy. Add more hot stock if necessary. Stir in the lemon juice.
2. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks. Stir the hot broth into the egg yolks 1 tablespoon at a time, up to 6 tablespoons. This tempers the yolks and prevents them from cooking too fast and curdling. Stir the yolks into the soup. Add a pinch of salt, or to taste. Ladle the soup into 2 to 4 soup bowls and serve at once.
MAKES ABOUT 4 QUARTS
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 pounds chicken wings
1 medium yellow onion, cut into eight wedges
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
4 sprigs of fresh parsley
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 fresh or dried bay leaves
1. In a large stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chicken wings, onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes; do not let the chicken brown.
2. Add cold water to cover the ingredients by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat. Use a large spoon to skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Add the parsley, thyme, peppercorns, and bay leaves. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until the broth is full flavored, 2 to 3 hours. Strain the broth through a mesh strainer and discard the solids. Let cool.
3. If desired, refrigerate the stock and remove and discard the solidified fat from the surface. Store in tightly covered containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze up to 6 months.
This marinade is my favorite for shrimp, chicken, and flank steak or any other red meat. As with any marinade, the longer you let the shrimp or meat marinate, the better, but on many occasions I’ve had only enough time to throw it together and put it straight on the grill, and the results are still great.
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
FOR THE SHRIMP
4 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of 3 small lemons (about 6 tablespoons juice)
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives
Pinch of ground cayenne or to taste
Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
24 jumbo shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled and deveined but with the tails on
FOR THE SALAD
4 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 10-ounce bags baby arugula leaves
1 pint small grape tomatoes, or halved if large
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
1. In a large bowl, place the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, basil, chives, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Stir until well blended. Add the shrimp and stir gently until well coated with marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
2. Prepare a medium bowl of ice water. Bring a small saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain the beans and immediately add to the ice water. Let stand until cool. Drain well and set aside.
3. When ready to serve, prepare a medium-hot grill or set a rack 6 inches from the broiler and set the broiler to high. Grill or broil the shrimp until they are firm and bright pink or orange, 4 to 5 minutes, turning once during cooking.
4. In a large salad bowl, place the arugula, tomatoes, reserved green beans, oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Toss gently until the arugula and vegetables are well coated.
5. Divide the greens among 4 to 6 salad plates and top with the shrimp. Serve.
For as long as I can remember I’ve been awed by the almost jewel-like beauty of beets. When I was a kid I longed for a crayon that was the exact color of the beets we grew on the ranch so I could use it in all my drawings. I think this is why my mother never had any trouble getting me to eat them! I love beets in salads or on their own, simply drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil and a little fresh lemon juice.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
1 5-ounce bag baby spinach
2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinaigrette or to taste
1 bunch of beets, roasted or boiled (see box), peeled and thinly sliced
½ cup crumbled goat cheese
1. Place the baby spinach in a salad bowl. Add the balsamic vinaigrette and toss gently until well coated.
2. Divide the spinach among 4 shallow bowls or salad plates. Top with the beet slices and sprinkle over the crumbled goat cheese. Serve.
COOKING BEETS
To prepare the beets, trim all but about 1 inch of the stems. Rinse thoroughly under cold, running water.
To boil beets, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the beets and return the water to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the beets are tender when pierced with a thin, sharp knife, about 20 minutes for small beets, about 30 minutes for medium beets, and 45 minutes to 1 hour for large beets. Drain the beets and transfer them to a bowl of ice water until cool enough to handle.
To bake beets, preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the beets in a small roasting pan and add ½ cup of water. Seal the pan tightly with foil and bake until the beets are tender when pierced with a thin, sharp knife, about 45 minutes for small beets, about 1 hour for medium beets, and about 1¼ hours for large beets (be careful when lifting the foil; don’t get burned by the escaping hot steam). Remove the beets from the pan and let stand. When the beets are cool enough to handle, use a paring knife to trim the ends and slip off their skins. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold.
FROM AUNT ELSA’S KITCHEN Beets retain better flavor when they are boiled or baked with their skins on, but peeling them after cooking can transfer all that beautiful color right to your hands, where it doesn’t look so nice. Wear kitchen gloves when peeling and chopping beets.
Full of colorful, crunchy vegetables and bursting with flavor, this looks really pretty on a buffet table. By the time I was in middle school, I knew that rotini and vegetables in the kitchen was the sign that we were headed to a potluck soon. This was and is my mom’s go-to recipe for PTA meetings, school plays, recitals, and baby and bridal showers.
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
1 pound dried rotini or farfalle
1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (optional)
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
½ large red onion, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped
1 4-ounce can sliced mushrooms, well drained
2 teaspoons dry salad seasoning
½ cup Balsamic Vinaigrette or bottled Italian salad dressing
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Stir in the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes or according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Drain very well and transfer to a large mixing bowl. If the pasta will need to sit on its own for a little while, add 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil, if desired, to prevent sticking, and toss to coat.
2. Place the pasta in a large bowl. Add the tomatoes, red onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, salad seasoning, and dressing.
3. Toss gently until well mixed and coated with dressing. Sprinkle over the Parmesan cheese and serve.
Café Med in Los Angeles serves a salad like this over paper-thin beef carpaccio that I love to order because it’s so light and fresh. When I make it at home, I skip the beef but pile on the greens.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
1 10-ounce bag fresh arugula
¼ cup Lemon Garlic Dressing
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
1 14-ounce can hearts of palm, drained and sliced
Shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1. Place the arugula in a large serving bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss gently to coat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
2. Scatter the artichoke hearts and hearts of palm on top. Use a vegetable peeler to shave the Parmigiano-Reggiano on top. Serve.
PAPER OR PLASTIC? When the checkout person at the supermarket asks, in regard to your bag choice, “Paper or plastic?” the best answer is, “Neither, thanks!” Paper is not much better than plastic. Even though paper bags are easy to recycle in many areas, it actually takes enormous resources to manufacture them. Please invest in a few reusable shopping and produce bags (yes, they make these, too!) and bring them with you to the store. They can last for years, which, if you consider how many bags’ worth of groceries you buy each week, can really add up!
Usually when I make a salad, I start with a base of greens—most often tender butterhead lettuce, my favorite—dress it with a flavorful vinaigrette, and then top it with whatever I have on hand. The combination in this recipe was one I tried once and loved so much that it’s become a staple at my house.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
1 small head butterhead lettuce, washed and dried
2 tablespoons lemon-flavored olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
½ small green apple, cored and very thinly sliced
1 pint strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
¼ cup crumbled goat cheese
1. Tear the lettuce leaves into pieces slightly larger than bite size. Place them in a large salad bowl. Pour over the oil and vinegar and toss gently until well coated.
2. Arrange the apples, strawberries, and walnuts on top of the lettuce. Sprinkle the crumbled goat cheese on top and serve.
My version of the classic Insalata Caprese—an Italian salad of mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil—uses green avocados in place of the basil for a Mexican twist. I like to say that the red, white, and green represent the Mexican flag! I arrange this on a big serving platter and place it right in the middle of the dinner table or a buffet—it’s visually arresting and really makes the table pop beautifully.
MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
2 red tomatoes, flavorful heirlooms if possible, cored and sliced
1 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced
3 avocados, pitted, peeled, and sliced
Good-quality balsamic vinegar to taste
1. On a large serving platter, arrange the tomatoes, mozzarella, and avocados in an overlapping and repeating pattern.
2. Drizzle with vinegar and serve.
CHOOSING AND PREPARING AVOCADOS
Use properly ripe avocados, which should be firm but give a bit when pressed gently. If they don’t give at all, they’re underripe. To ripen avocados at home, place them in a brown paper bag and store them at room temperature. They’ll usually ripen in a couple of days, but some can take up to five days. I always buy local, organic avocados in Texas and California, and I recommend that you do the same when possible.
A ripe avocado can be tricky to slice or dice neatly. By the time you’ve scooped it out of the shell, bits of the soft inside are often left behind and the avocado can look manhandled. Instead, remove the pit and use a small, thin-bladed knife to slice or dice one half at a time right in the shell. Use a spoon to gently scoop out the sliced or diced avocado.
I love learning new things every time I eat a dish or step into a kitchen or take a cooking class. I was thrilled to discover Maite Gomez-Rejón’s program in Los Angeles called ArtBites, which combines art history and the culinary arts in classes that begin with viewing a collection at a local museum and end in the kitchen. I took a class called “Dining in the Aztec Empire,” in which Maite taught us modern ways to use ingredients that would have been used in what is now central Mexico during the fourteenth through sixteenth centuries. I learned this recipe, which uses the ancient ingredients corn and squash, in that wonderful class.
MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
5 ears of corn, shucked
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cups ¼-inch diced zucchini
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
1½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro or basil
1. Prepare a large bowl of ice water and set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the corn to the boiling water, cover, and remove from the heat. Let stand 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and immerse the corn in the ice water to stop the cooking. When cool, cut the kernels off the cob, cutting close to the cob. Place the kernels in a large bowl.
2. In a small skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the zucchini and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the zucchini to the bowl with the corn.
3. Add to the bowl the red onion, vinegar, oil, remaining salt, and pepper. Just before serving, toss in the herbs. Taste, adjust the seasoning as needed, and serve cold or at room temperature.
FROM AUNT ELSA’S KITCHEN To quickly and easily get the silk off an ear of corn, use a dry paper towel to brush downward on the cob.
Reading through this book, you may pick up on a theme: I hide nutritious vegetables under generous amounts of sauce or cheese so everyone will eat them. Here is an example of my fun cat-and-mouse game played to perfection: creamy, oniony dressing is lapped over crisp-tender asparagus—and everyone’s happy!
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed
¼ cup Grey Moss Inn White French Dressing, or to taste
1. Prepare a bowl of ice water and set aside. In a sauté pan with a tight-fitting lid, add water to about ½ inch deep. Bring to a boil. Add the asparagus and simmer until bright green and just tender when pierced with a thin, sharp knife, 2 to 4 minutes.
2. Drain the asparagus and immediately plunge into the ice water to stop the cooking. When cool, drain the asparagus and lay them out on a clean kitchen towel. Transfer to a large serving platter. Drizzle the dressing over the asparagus and serve.
