A quick and easy and loaded with spring flavors, this Asparagus with Gremolata Compound Butter is a perfect Easter side dish.
A quick and easy and loaded with spring flavors, this Asparagus with Gremolata Compound Butter is a perfect Easter side dish.
My family is full of traditionalists, which means that we basically have the same meals for holidays every year. Christmas is ham (with a small roast for my husband who claims to hate ham) with a baked potato casserole dish and cheesecake for dessert. New Years Eve is a selection of appetizers. Thanksgiving is turkey, mashed potatoes and a combination of apple and pecan pie. Easter is ham, sauteed asparagus and lemon meringue pie. This year I might try to convince my family to give this asparagus with gremolata compound butter a try though. It’s a perfect Easter side dish - light and bright and citrusy – a great compliment to a honey baked ham.
Asparagus has always represented spring to me, and for the month of March and the first half of April when it seems to be on constant sale at the store, I just buy it in bunches and figure out what to do with it once I’m home.
I’m so glad that this is a thing I decided to try, because it is just so good. This recipe calls for boiling the asparagus, but I think it would be just as good steamed or roasted.
Asparagus:
Full of nutrients, asparagus is one of the healthiest vegetables out there. Super low in calories, but high in fiber and protein, it’s a nutritional gold mine. Asparagus holds a ton of antioxidants, and is high in vitamin C, K, and A. My only gripe with asparagus is that its season is relatively short, and out of season it’s both a little skimpy and very expensive. That’s why I try to eat as much of it as possible during these early spring months.
Gremolata
Gremolata is an Italian condiment made of garlic, lemon, and parsley. So basically, everything that’s good. It’s traditionally served over Osso Bucco which is braised veal shank and is used to balance the richness of an otherwise very heavy meal. I’ve also seen gremolata tossed with pasta, rice, or topping other meat dishes. It’s an awesome condiment to use with roasted veggies as well.
Compound Butter
Compound butter is just softened butter mixed with other ingredients to create a flavored butter. It ups the flavor factor and is almost endlessly adaptable.
To make Asparagus with Gremolata Compound Butter
Start by making the compound butter. You want ½ stick of butter softened to room temperature (and you want it to actually be room temperature. It will be hard to stir together if the butter is cold at all). Mince a large clove of garlic. Finely chop tablespoon or so of flat leaf parsley, and zest a lemon using a Microplane zester. Add all three into the butter and stir. You can make the butter up to 2 days prior. Just cover and refrigerate, and then bring to room temperature when you’re ready to make the asparagus.
To make the asparagus, bring a saucepan full of salted water to a boil. Trim the woody ends of the stalks of asparagus, and then place the trimmed asparagus in the boiling water for 5-7 minutes depending on the thickness of the stalks. Once cooked, scoop out a ¼ cup of the cooking water and set aside. Remove the asparagus from the saucepan and dump the water out. Return the asparagus to the pan and add in half the butter and 2 tablespoons of the cooking water, and then gently toss the asparagus in the sauce until the butter has melted and the sauce comes together and coats the asparagus.
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Sara Rauckhorst
5 Min
10 Min
15 Min
Asparagus with Gremolata Compound Butter
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (half a stick) of unsalted butter, room temperature
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat leaf parsley
- 1 large garlic clove, finely minced
- 1 pound asparagus, woody ends trimmed off
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Make the Butter:
- In a small bowl, mix together the softened butter, minced garlic, minced parsley and lemon zest. You can refrigerate the butter for up to 2 days before use, just bring it to room temperature before cooking.
- Make the Asparagus
- Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil, and add the asparagus to the pan. Boil until tender - about 5-6 minutes depending on thickness. Reserve a quarter cup of cooking liquid.
- Drain the asparagus, and return it to the dry pot. Add half the butter and 2 tablespoons of the cooking liquid, and toss the asparagus to form a sauce and coat the veggies. If this does not make enough sauce, add the rest of the butter and another tablespoon of the cooking water.
- Season with salt and pepper and serve.
Notes:
*if you choose to steam or roast the asparagus, you wont have any cooking liquid, so just add the butter to the asparagus, and thin out with water as needed to form a sauce.
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