French Cooking with Wini Moranville: Three French Ways with Asparagus

It’s finally arrived! Asparagus season. Here are three French-inspired ways I love serving this veggie.

But first, a little know-how:

Of course you know how to trim asparagus—you simply bend the stalk in a few places toward the bottom end until you find that magic spot where the tough part will snap off easily. Then, snap it off and discard (the tough end, that is).

But…what about those scales? If you want to be true-to-France you probably should trim them. It’s a texture thing—for the French diner, those flinty scales ruin the silky appeal of the stalks. Simply use a vegetable peeler to swipe them away.

Now, here’s how to serve asparagus:

1. As part of a first course

Pass the platter! This is one of my favorite sit-down first courses. You simply serve roasted asparagus with some lovely prosciutto (or other charcuterie) and some oeufs-mayo. If you need a little primer on the latter, check my Oeufs Dur Mayonnaise post.

2. Asparagus Vinaigrette

Simply serve with your favorite vinaigrette dressing. This photo shows some chopped red pepper, but you could also do chopped egg, chopped green onions, shaved parmesan (or any snappy cheese), roasted red pepper, etc.

The French would serve asperges vinaigrette as a starter course; however, there’s no shame in serving this alongside a grilled or roasted meat as a side dish.

3. Asparagus Goat-Cheese Crêpes

This is a great sit-down first course; or, if you wish, you can serve them with a salad for a light lunch or brunch (I’d serve two per serving). You can also roll the crêpes up like a cigar, cut them crosswise, stick toothpicks in them and pass them as amuse-bouches.

Makes 8 crêpes

Crêpe batter (see my recipe)
1     pound asparagus, trimmed

2     tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

3/4 cup freshly grated aged goat cheese

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Place the asparagus spears in a large, shallow roasting pan. Drizzle with the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roll the asparagus around to coat each spear in oil. Spread the asparagus into a single layer. Roast until tender and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the crêpes: Brush the bottom of a 6- to 7-inch nonstick skillet with butter to coat it lightly. Heat over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and pour a scant 1/4 cup batter into hot pan quickly swirling pan to coat the bottom of the pan with batter. Return to heat and cook until nicely browned on bottom; flip and cook until somewhat crisp (you want to cook these crêpes longer than you would for dessert crêpes). Cool on individual plates, then stack once cooled.

3. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Place one crêpe on a lightly greased baking sheet. Sprinkle the top half with about 1 1/2 tablespoons goat cheese. Arrange asparagus spears in the crêpe, cutting as needed to fit. Fold the crêpe over. Repeat with remaining crêpes.

4. Bake in a 350°F oven about 10 minutes or until the crêpes are warm and the cheese has mostly melted.

Photo credits:
Asparagus stalks by Livin’ Spoonful via Flickr
Asparagus with Prosciutto and Oeufs-Mayo by Richard Swearinger
Asparagus Vinaigrette by Renée S. Suen via Flickr
Asparagus Goat Cheese Crêpes by Wini Moranville

To continue to bring a little bit of France to your table, follow me on Facebook: Chez Bonne Femme, or check out my blog at http://chezbonnefemme.com. And be sure to check out my book, The Bonne Femme Cookbook: Simple, Splendid Food That French Women Cook Every Day. A bientôt!

New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.

Cost: 185 euros per person (about $240)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.
 

I am pleased as punch to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I will personally be leading. The Eye Prefer Paris Tour includes many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes & food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks, and much more.

Tours cost 210 euros for up to 3 people, and 70 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.
 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour

Comments

[Mary Ann]

Mmmm! Love me some asparagus! I'll try all three ways - also LOVE the white asparagus they consider more common in France. My French friends save the snapped off bottoms and the stalk shavings to make a beautiful soup (once strained).