In many families the asparagus is served separately with a sauceboat of melted butter and little dishes holding soft-cooked eggs. Eaten with the fingers, first by dipping asparagus into melted butter, and then in the creamy egg yolks. Pure heaven and a very sensuous experience!!
Ingredients
- 3 pounds white asparagus or the freshest local asparagus you can get
- 8 Tbls. (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 3 large eggs, hard-cooked and peeled
- 1 1/2 tsps. fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cu. freshly minced fresh parsley
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Directions
Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil.
Meanwhile, use a vegetable peeler to remove the thick woody skin of each white asparagus stalk from just below the tip to the stem end. If you are using green asparagus, just trim the lower part of each stalk.
Bunch the asparagus spears together and trim them to about the same length. Tie the bundle together with kitchen string.
When the water boils, lower the heat, add the asparagus, and simmer until they are tender, 15 to 30 minutes depending on the thickness. Cover the pot only if you are using white asparagus; do not cover the green as it will lose its fresh color. Remove the asparagus bundle and drain on a kitchen towel. Be careful not to break the delicate asparagus tips.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. If the hard-cooked eggs are completely cold, plunge them for 1 minute into the asparagus cooking water to heheat and then peel.
In a small mixing bowl, mash the eggs with a fork. Add the melted butter, lemon juice, and parsley. season with salt and pepper, and nutneg. Stir to mix.
Arrange the asparagus on individual plates. Cover each portion with the Flemish sauce, leaving the tips uncovered. Serve immediately while everything is still warm.
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Submitted 6/13/05.
Source: Everybody Eats Well in Belgium Cookbook
Submitted By: Eileen Werth
crzylegs@erols.com
Asparagus, Flemish Style