Spring means asparagus season! This dish makes a great addition to a spring holiday table. Especially since you can serve it warm or chilled.
Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables and I have been cooking it for a long time. After watching a MasterClass with Thomas Keller (of The French Laundry fame) where he goes into great detail about big-pot blanching asparagus, I have started preparing asparagus for cooking a bit differently. I did replicate the entire process he outlined in the class – even buying Scotch-Brite scour pads and a non-swivel vegetable peeler (it was in the middle of Covid-19 lock down and I had didn’t have much to do!) – but in the end decided it wasn’t worth the effort. But I did take away one technique. After breaking each stalk at its natural breaking point, I use a vegetable peeler (I prefer a swivel type) to peel the rough outer layer of the bottom of each stalk (about 1-1/2 inches). I do this if I’m steaming or roasting asparagus. It makes the bottom part of the stalks more tender.
‘Aioli’ means garlic and oil in both the Catalan/Valencian (Spanish) and Provença/Occitan (France) languages. It is essentially a homemade mayonnaise. With a food processor (or blender) and a bit of patience this is a very easy recipe to make. The key is slowly dripping the oils into the base mixture while the motor is running so that it properly emulsifies. If you get this right you are all set.
I use a mixture of grapeseed oil and extra-virgin olive oil. Some prefer all grapeseed oil since it is neutral. I never pass up the chance to enjoy a flavorful extra-virgin olive oil. You can also use lime juice in place of lemon juice which gives it more of a Mexican profile.
This recipe calls for a raw egg yolk. The risk of getting salmonella is very unlikely but if you are concerned and have access to pasteurized eggs, then it’s best to use a pasteurized egg yolk.
While I drizzled this aioli on asparagus, I’ve also recently used it as a dipping sauce for steamed artichokes, served it alongside crab cakes, and used it in place of mayonnaise on a turkey and arugula sandwich. It’s that versatile.
I read in the April issue of Bon Appétit magazine that the Cuisinart food processor turns 50 this year! My mom gave me the one I used in this recipe in 1992 and it’s still going strong.
| Asparagus with Garlic-Lemon Aioli | | Print |
- 1 large garlic clove
- Kosher salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ cup grapeseed oil
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound asparagus
- In a small food processor or blender, process garlic with a healthy pinch of salt.
- Add egg yolk, Dijon mustard and lemon juice. Process until smooth.
- Add both grapeseed oil and extra virgin olive oil to a measuring cup. While the motor is running, slowly drip (not pour) the oil into the egg mixture until it begins to thicken. Gradually increase the oil to a thin steady stream, blending to a uniform creamy consistency. Season with salt.
- (If aioli breaks while blending, drizzle in a little lukewarm water a few drops at a time until consistency is reached again.)
- Transfer to a container with a lid. Aioli keeps, refrigerated, for a week.
- Using your hands, break each stalk at its natural breaking point so that you’ve removed the tough part of the bottom of each stalk. (You can also use a knife to do this.) Using a vegetable peeler, peel off the outer layer of the bottom 1-1/2 inches (or so) of each stalk.
- Pour water into large pot to depth of 1-inch and bring to boil.
- Place asparagus on steamer rack set over water in pot. Cover pot and steam until asparagus is crisp-tender (do not overcook it), about 4 to 6 minutes (depending on the thickness of the asparagus).
- Serve immediately for warm asparagus. For chilled asparagus, transfer asparagus to a bowl of ice water and cool for a minute. Drain and place asparagus on paper towels. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
- Transfer asparagus to a platter and drizzle with aioli.
* You can easily double or triple the aioli recipe and still use a small food processor.
I was looking for something yummy and a little different to put on the delicious in-season asparagus, and this fit the bill, thank you!
Susie – Perfect timing! I’m so glad you liked it.