Asparagus Purée
 Total Time |
|---|
| 30 minutes |
Ingredients
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp shallots- 1 clove garlic
1 Tbsp olive oil- some asparagus slices
- 2 pinches salt
- 1 dash pepper
- 4 sprigs lemon thyme
1 cup vegetable stock
4 Tbsp heavy cream
Cookware
- 1 large, shallow saucepan
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 blender
Instructions
Step 1
Melt the butter in a large, shallow saucepan over medium-low heat. Add shallots and garlic with a tablespoon of olive oil and sauté for 3 minutes or until translucent and slightly tender. Do not get any color on the shallots and garlic. Add asparagus slices, season with two pinches of salt, a dash of pepper, and lemon thyme. Stir together with a wooden spoon and sauté for another 3 to 5 minutes or until the asparagus is softened. Be sure not to get any color on the asparagus. The green asparagus should have a vibrant green color—if it starts to gray it is overcooked.
Step 2
Deglaze the pan with enough vegetable stock to submerge the cooked vegetables and let the liquid come to a simmer. Turn the heat off, cover with a lid, and let rest for 2.5 minutes. The asparagus should be soft when pinched between your thumb and finger and tender to the bite.
Step 3
Remove the lid and bring the heat back to medium. Add the heavy cream and bring to a boil for 1 to 2 minutes. The purée will separate if the cream is cold when blending. Taste and season with more salt as needed.
Step 4
Transfer asparagus mixture to blender. If you still have a decent amount of cooking liquid in the pan, do not pour all of it in to the blender. Reserve to begin and add as needed or you may end up with soup instead. Start blending on low speed, then gradually increase to medium and blend for 1 minute to emulsify all of the ingredients. The purée should be silky smooth and hold to the spoon when scooped. Taste and season with more salt as needed.
Step 5
If your purée is not coming together, add a few tablespoons of the reserved cooking liquid to the blender to thin it out. If you don’t have extra cooking liquid, use vegetable stock instead. Cool down slightly and pour into an 8-ounce squeeze bottle.
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