Asparagus with Morels and Tarragon: 2000s Recipes + Menus : gourmet.com

2000s Recipes + Menus

Serves6

Active time:1 hr
Start to finish:1 hr

May 2007

Tarragon leaves and meaty morel caps shoot up all over the Jura mountains in the spring. Here, tossed with juicy green and white asparagus—Europeans are particularly mad for the latter—they're a genuine sampling of the season.

1 lb white asparagus, trimmed, peeled, and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 lb green asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots (2 large)
1/4 lb pound fresh morels, cleaned and halved lengthwise if large
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Garnish:

chopped fresh tarragon

Cook white and green asparagus separately in a 5- to 6-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, until just tender, about 5 minutes for white asparagus; about 3 minutes for green asparagus.
Transfer asparagus with a slotted spoon to a colander and rinse under cold water (to stop cooking), then drain again. Pat dry.
Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté shallots, stirring, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add morels and sauté, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add asparagus, tarragon, salt, pepper, and remaining 3 tablespoons butter and sauté, stirring, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Serve immediately.

Cook's Note: Asparagus can be boiled 1 day ahead and chilled in a sealed plastic bag lined with paper towels.

Recipe by Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez

Photograph by Ditte Isager