Asparagus Mimosa with Curried Mayonnaise
Serves 4
The French classic asparagus mimosa, which shows off the spring bounty, combines lightly cooked spears with a zippy vinaigrette, garnished with finely chopped hard-cooked eggs. Instead of a vinaigrette, this variation includes curried mayo, made with sauteed shallots and a little curry powder, which turns bottled mayonnaise into a vibrant, flavor-packed dressing. Before you cook the eggs and asparagus, prepare an ice bath (lots of ice, a small amount of cold water). This stops the cooking process. Both eggs and spears can be chilled in the same bath immediately after cooking so the asparagus retains its bright green color and the yolks stay deep yellow with no gray ring around them. Spread the mayo on a platter, let the spears fall on it any which way, and garnish with shallots, chives, and the eggs, which have been grated separately, so they resemble the flower the dish is named for.
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
½ cup mayonnaise
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 eggs
1 large bunch fresh asparagus, ends snapped off and discarded
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1. In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add 1 of the shallots with the garlic. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the curry powder, and cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Cool to room temperature.
2. In a bowl, combine the vinegar, mayonnaise, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Stir in the shallot mixture.
3. Fill a large bowl halfway with water. Add enough ice so you can hardly see the water.
4. Place the eggs in a small saucepan. Cover with cold water. Bring the water to a boil over mediumhigh heat. When it just barely comes to a boil, cover the pan, and remove from the heat. Let the eggs sit for 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to the ice bath.
5. When the eggs are cool, lift them from the ice bath (save the bath). Crack the shells and peel the eggs; dry them on paper towels. Cut them in half and separate the yolks from the whites. On the medium holes of a box grater, grate the egg whites, then grate the yolks, keeping them separate. Roughly chop the whites so they are similar in size to the grated yolk.
6. Bring a deep skillet of salted water to a boil over high heat. When the water is at a rolling boil, add the asparagus and cook for 1 minute, or until they are just softened and still vibrant green. Transfer the asparagus to the ice bath.
7. When the asparagus is cool, transfer them to a paper towel or a clean kitchen towel. Pat dry.
8. Spread the mayonnaise in the center of a platter. Arrange the asparagus on top; don't make it too neat. Garnish with egg whites, then with the yolks, remaining shallots, and chives.