Thursday, May 24, 2007

Asparagus with Browned Butter and Scallions

I've actually made this dish twice this month without managing to get a decent picture - and it's a beautiful one on the plate! The recipe comes from Tina Nordström, a popular Swedish TV chef, or rather from the homepage of the channel that airs her show here. (Swedish speakers ahoy, you can find lots of interesting stuff on FST's Mat & Fritid pages.)

Asparagus with Browned Butter and Scallions

Stir-frying until just al dente is my new favorite method of preparing asparagus. Not to blow my own horn overmuch, but they always wind up beautifully crunchy. And the browned butter, spiced with soy sauce, herbs and onions, is a stroke of genius and would probably go well with chicken or white fish fillets as well.

Asparagus with Browned Butter and Scallions

Asparagus with Browned Butter and Scallions
adapted from Tinas mat, serves 3-4

500 g asparagus
100 ml grated parmesan (the first time around I made parmesan shavings as per the original instructions, but that was a pain, although very pretty)
small bunch of tarragon, finely chopped
3 scallions, finely chopped (the recipe called for shallots, and indeed that was good, too)
2 tsp soy sauce
3 tbsp butter
salt & pepper

Trim the ends of the asparagus spears by snapping them off.

Cook the butter in a small pan until just slightly browned. Mix with soy sauce, onions and herbs; set aside.

Fry the asparagus in a bit of oil (really, half a teaspoon was plenty in a non-stick pan) until just al dente - mine took about 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then the sauce, and finally the grated/shaved parmesan.

8 comments:

Freya said...

Stunning photo and lovely recipe!

thepassionatecook said...

i am just amazed at how many different new ways of preparing asparagus i am coming across this season... this is one of the most unusual ones, but one i will definitely try! thanks for the inspiration.

Alanna Kellogg said...

Is this the same recipe Pille just did too? At least the browned butter is the same ... (Print!)

Anonymous said...

I just did a pasta with brown butter and sage :) I love the flavor of the brown butter so I will be saving your recipe (thanks for sharing it!)...I'm sure it's delicious with the soy and shallots/scallions...must give it another flavor dimension :) Mmmm....

Pille said...

Alanna - no, it's not the same one I did, but it could be the one I'm making tonight with my last batch of asparagus :)
Great shots, Deinin!

Anonymous said...

Heippa! Vaikuttaa ehkä pikkasen hyvältä! Täytyykin ottaa tänään kaupasta parsanippu mukaan ja kokeilla tällä ohjeella :)

Mia said...

Freya & Paul - thanks!

thepassionatecook: I hope you enjoy it! It's certainly worked like a charm all the times I've made it.

Alanna, not quite the same, but I had to laugh when I read Pille's entry since I'd just got up from the dinner table after finishing my browned-butter asparagus...

Joey, I would NEVER have thought of adding soy on my own, but it's a really nice combination. I hope you get a chance to try it!

Pille, and I think I'll probably be making yours unless we run out of asparagus before I get to it...

Sohvi, tämä vie kyllä kielen ihan tyystin...

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