Spring Greens & Beurre Blanc

Spring has finally blossomed and with the new season brings my favorite, fashionable greens. Asparagus (known as the King of Vegetables), and the meek little green pea are my go-to's for a fresh spring dish to start the season. My preferred method of preparing these vegetables is to blanch them in salt water and shock them in an ice bath. This process keeps their vibrant color and genuine flavor while seasoning them to perfection. To dress them up I thought of accessories to add visual interest and depths in flavor. A velvety, floral saffron beurre blanc complements the colors and the subtle sweetness of the vegetables. The fennel greens and chive garnish act as the jewelry or the "finishing touches". The results? A beautiful dish that would look incredible at your next dinner party, if I do say so myself!

By the way, don't let the elegant plating fool you into thinking this is too complicated to execute. I developed this dish as an easy "Plating 101" for those who struggle to put together a pretty dish to entertain with. As mentioned earlier, treat your approach like assembling an outfit. Consider your colors carefully and imagine sauces and herbs as handbags or jewelry, drawing inspiration from the runway. If it works in fashion, it will work on a plate!

Fashion References: I looked through the 2023 spring collections and found hues that almost mimicked this dish. From the soft yellows of the beurre blanc, to the green shades of herbs, the delicate pinks from my asparagus leaves, right down to the hint of red saffron threads at the beginning of my sauce. Jil Sander and Valentino were the notable standouts. See below...

Ok so on to the recipe and plating method! Follow the below closely and let me know how yours turns out! Note: Your sauce will and should be a little thinner than mine. Over time, sauces (especially butter-based sauces) become firm, so serve as soon as possible! It should be smooth and have a velvety consistency. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out!

Joyeux Printemps!

P.S.

I recommend pairing this dish with a crisp, dry sauvignon blanc! More food for thought: this combo would nicely accompany shirred eggs for brunch or a roasted leg of lamb for dinner.

Spring Greens & Saffron Beurre Blanc

Ingredients

• 1 bundle of asparagus

• 1 cup of frozen Peas

• 1 cup of kosher salt

Saffron-Beurre Blanc

• 2 sticks of cold unsalted butter

• 1 cup of white wine

• 1/4 cup of champagne vinegar

• 1 tbsp of shallots

• Pinch of saffron, about 7 threads

• 1/2 tsp of lemon juice

• 1/4 tsp Kosher salt, plus extra to taste

• White pepper to taste

Garnish

Chives, finely chopped

Fennel greens

Asparagus leaf trim

Directions

Prepare Asparagus and Ice Bath:

1. Taking a stalk and holding it in the middle, bend the stalk until it snaps at the end.

2. Align the tip of that stalk with the tip of the remaining asparagus stalks.

3. Slice the remaining stalks so they are even with the snapped stalk.

4. With a pairing knife, carefully slice off pinkish-purple asparagus leaves along each stalk. Save the leaves if using as a garnish.

5. Prepare a large bowl of ice water and set it aside.

Blanching:

1. Bring a big pot of water and about a cup of salt to a boil. Enough water so that the asparagus will be fully submerged. The water should taste like seawater. Add more salt if the water isn't salty enough.

2. Submerge asparagus, 6-7 stalks at a time, in the boiling salt water and blanch for about 2 1/2 minutes, use the tip of a pairing knife to check for doneness. The tip of the knife should slide through with no resistance.

3. Quickly place cooked asparagus in the ice bath, about 1 minute. Place on a paper towel-lined plate and slightly pat dry to remove excess water. Continue the process until all asparagus is done.

4. Next, blanch the peas in the same water for about 1 minute.

5. With a large slotted spoon, spoon the peas out and place them in the ice bath. Remove and place on your paper towel-lined plate.

Saffron Beurre Blanc:

1. Have your cold butter ready. Bring wine and vinegar to a boil in a saucepan; add shallots, saffron threads, salt, and pepper. Lower to medium heat and simmer until most of the liquid has reduced down to about 1 1/2 tbsp.

2. Remove pan from heat and whisk in 2 pieces of butter into the reduction.

3. Over low heat, slowly whisk 1 pat of butter into the sauce at a time, allowing each piece to melt before adding more.

4. Remove sauce from heat and whisk in lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl.

To Plate and Serve:

1. On a wide white or black plate or serving dish, spoon sauce at the center until it spreads out into a wider circle or oval shape.

2. Option 1: Bunch up and align 5-6 asparagus stalks in the same direction and make sure the ends are flush. With a large chef's knife, cut the bundle in half. Keeping them aligned, gather the bottom half of the chopped asparagus and place at the center of the plated sauce. Gather the remaining tops of the chopped asparagus and layer them on top of the plated asparagus.

3. Option 2: If you're using a bigger serving dish, circle or oval, loosely bunch all asparagus together. Make sure all stalks are aligned in the same direction and the ends are flush. Place asparagus carefully at the center of the sauce.

4. Spoon some of the peas onto the asparagus a little at a time.

5. Garnish with chopped chives and place fennel greens and asparagus leaves all around the asparagus.

Extras:

* Want to skip the sauce? Add the blanched asparagus and peas to a salad. Garnish with chives, fennel greens, and asparagus leaves in the same way mentioned above.