Asparagus Gratin
(from Bethany’s recipe box)
Serves 8
For even cooking, buy asparagus spears between 1/4 and 1/2 inch in diameter.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
Rather than cook our Asparagus Gratin in a cheesy sauce, we opted to cook the two aspects separately and combine them at the end. We initially turned to gruyére cheese, a classic element in gratin dishes, but it caused our sauce to be slightly gritty. Replacing it with milder, smoother Monterey Jack fixed the problem. We also found that tasters preferred a version of the sauce that replaced the half-and-half entirely with vegetable stock made from the trimmed ends of the asparagus, which also enhanced the vegetable’s flavor.
Source: Cook's Country April/May 2011
Categories: Vegetables
Ingredients
- 2 pounds thin asparagus
- 2 1/2 cups water
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Directions
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Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat broiler. Line broiler-safe baking dish with paper towels. Trim 1½ inches from stem end of asparagus and reserve ends. Bring water to boil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add asparagus ends and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, remove asparagus ends and discard. Add asparagus stalks to skillet, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until nearly tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer asparagus to paper-lined baking dish. Pour asparagus water into liquid measuring cup; reserve 1 cup.
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Melt butter in now-empty skillet over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly until golden, about 1 minute. Whisk in reserved asparagus water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Off heat, whisk in ½ cup Parmesan and Monterey Jack until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes.
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Remove paper towels from baking dish. Drizzle sauce over center of asparagus and top with remaining Parmesan. Broil until cheese is golden and asparagus is tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Serve.
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MAKING A LIGHTER, LIVELIER SAUCE To highlight the flavor of delicate asparagus, we make a five-minute vegetable stock from the wood ends. The asparagus spears simmer in the stock, and we reserve the now double-concentrated liquid to use in our cheese sauce in place of the usual (smothering) heavy cream. TREASURE NOT TRASH The asparagus ends make a flavorful stock in which to cook the spears. ASPARAGUS STOCK The stock is now double-concentrated. We use it (instead of cream) in the sauce.