Braised Asparagus a la Victor
We first enjoyed this dish when visiting friends for dinner on a stormy spring evening. Our host, Victor, expertly braised asparagus to perfection while simultaneously grilling steaks to perfection in a driving rain storm--wow!
This is a great, simple way to enjoy asparagus when you want something a little fancier than just steamed. You can substitute lemon juice or a little vinegar for the rose wine if you'd like, but the rose wine gives this dish a more "rounded" freshness and kicks the flavors up a good bit!
- ~1 pound very fresh medium asparagus (trimmed and peeled as needed)
- 1-2 tbsp very good quality olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- a splash of rose wine
- salt
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Trim and peel asparagus as needed.
Heat a large non-reactive skillet over medium-high heat, and then add the oil and butter. Let the oils come to a sizzle, but don't let anything smoke or brown.
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Add prepared asparagus to the pan and then splash a little rose into the pan. Add salt and toss the whole lot to coast the asparagus with the oil, butter and rose mixture. Turn temperature down to medium or even medium-low.
Place a lid over top of the pan and let the mixture cook for a minute or two before lifting the lid to check on the asparagus. The asparagus will release some of their moisture, creating a nice sauce in the pan and the idea is to let the asparagus languish in this sauce until they are tender and still very juicy. Cover again and let the mixture cook for another 5-7 minutes, tossing frequently to make sure the asparagus don't brown and to make sure there's enough liquid in the pan--add a little water as necessary.
Check for doneness--the asparagus should be fork tender and still quite green, but not mushy.
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Thank you for visiting my site! I hope you love the recipe!