WEEK 43: YOUR BEST ASPARAGUS RECIPE
Absurdly Addictive Asparagus
Photography by Sarah Shatz
BY KAYKAY | SERVES 4
A&M: The title pretty much says it all. With her recipe, kaykay takes an already promising set of ingredients and artfully combines them in such a way that the resulting dish exceeds the sum of its parts. Two-inch lengths of asparagus, crisp-tender to the bite, take center stage in a savory tangle of leeks, pancetta, garlic, orange zest, parsley, and pine nuts. The rendered fat from the pancetta (we love kaykay’s assertion that “bacon may rule, but its Italian cousin, pancetta, is also a contender for the crown”), along with a knob of butter, is just enough to save the vegetables from being dry without smothering the fresh flavors. The recipe is supposed to serve four, but we could easily imagine polishing off an entire pan by ourselves.
4 ounces pancetta, cut into 3/8-inch to ¼-inch dice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 pound asparagus, woody ends trimmed, sliced into 2-inch pieces on the bias
1¼ cups thinly sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only)
2 garlic cloves, minced
Zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- In a large nonstick pan, sauté the pancetta over medium heat, stirring frequently, until crisp and lightly golden.
- Add the butter to the pan. Add the asparagus and leeks and sauté until the asparagus is tender-crisp, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the garlic, lemon and orange zests, pine nuts, and parsley and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper and serve immediately.
Photography by Sarah Shatz
TIPS AND TECHNIQUES
Kaykay: “I think this dish is pretty versatile. It could easily go with a roast chicken, herb-roasted pork, or even a steak. It can go with anything where the flavors are simple—for example, a steak seasoned with salt and pepper and finished with some herbs and garlic would be great. Or perhaps a special roast chicken like the Wishbone Roast Chicken with Herb Butter recipe created by monkeymom.”
She also advised: “I tried adding Parmigiano Reggiano at the end, but it overpowered the citrus.”
ABOUT THE COOK
Karen Kwan is a creative director living in the San Francisco Bay area.
Her top cooking tips: “Use aluminum-free baking powder for more delicately flavored baked goods. If you like thin, crispy cookies, cream the butter and sugar longer. (The air bubbles cause the cookies to rise and since they aren’t contained, they spread out more.)”
WHAT THE COMMUNITY SAID
WinnieAb: “My mom made a double batch of this recipe over the weekend and I happily ate all of the leftovers … delicious!”