Asparagus Gribiche

This dish, inspired by one in Gjelina: Cooking from Venice, California by Travis Lett, celebrates two of our favorite springtime treats: asparagus and eggs. The eggs come in the form of a new wave gribiche, as we explained in this story.

We like it best with simply poached asparagus, but you could also skip the peeling and roast the asparagus. To do that, simply trim the ends, place on a baking sheet, drizzle with a teaspoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt, roll the asparagus in the oil and salt, and roast in a 400 degree oven till just tender, about 17 minutes for medium-thick asparagus. If you do peel the stalks, the peels can be saved and used to boost the flavor of a puréed asparagus soup.

It can be served warm, or let the asparagus cool before adding the gribiche. If you want to bring it to a picnic or potluck, let the asparagus cool before topping with gribiche, and transport that way, or keep the veg and sauce separate, and top the spears with the gribiche once you arrive.

Serves 4 to 6.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds asparagus, tough ends cut off

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon capers, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon minced cornichons (about 3 cornichons)

1 medium shallot, minced

4 tablespoons minced herbs: Include parsley and any combination of dill, tarragon, chives and chervil

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, or a little more, to taste

1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar or other white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the asparagus stalks about two-thirds of the way up. Set aside.

2. To make the new-wave gribiche, place the eggs in a saucepan, cover them with an inch of cold water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Immediately turn off the heat and let the eggs rest in the hot water for 3 minutes, then drain and run cold water over the eggs to cool them. Hold an egg over a small bowl, crack it and use a metal spoon to scoop out the white and yolk. Repeat with the second egg and roughly cut up the white. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, combine the capers, cornichons, shallot, herbs, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard and two or three grindings of black pepper. Gently fold in the eggs. 

4. Place the asparagus in a pan wide enough to hold the asparagus (ideally a straight-sided sauté pan), cover with about two inches of water and salt to taste, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the asparagus are tender but not too soft. A good way to test is to pick them up in the middle with tongs — they should droop a little but not too much. As soon as they’re done, transfer to a serving platter.

5. Drain off any water that collects on the platter. If you’re serving the dish warm, spoon the gribiche over the asparagus and serve immediately. If you’re serving it cool, let the asparagus cool to room temp (or chill it) before spooning the gribiche over it.