Best 7 Asparagus Puree Recipes

SAUTéED SCALLOPS WITH ASPARAGUS PURéE

Steps:

• Asparagus: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Salt the water generously (make it as salty as seawater). Trim the woody ends from asparagus and discard; then submerge asparagus in the boiling water. Cover with lid just until the water comes back to a boil, then uncover and cook until al dente (tender but with just a little crunch), 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice water.
• Asparagus are done when they bend without snapping. Use a spider strainer to transfer them to the ice bath; submerge and stir to immediately stop the cooking. Reserve cooking water (to thin purée). Cut asparagus tips and reserve for garnish. Cut stalks into 2-inch pieces and set aside.
• Place asparagus stalks in the blender and cover with lid; pulse a few times. Remove the smaller cap in the lid and turn blender to medium speed. Ladle in a slow stream of cooking water (about ½ cup) to help the asparagus purée. Use caution, as the water and purée are hot! Replace the cap, then purée on high speed. When the purée is smooth, strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl to remove any fibrous strands. Salt the purée to taste and set aside.
• Scallops: Place scallops on paper towels in an even layer and pat dry; this is an important step to get a nice sear. Pull off and discard any tough side-muscles (their fibers run against the grain of the rest of the scallop). Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, then add oil. (Add more as needed to coat the bottom of the skillet.) When the oil begins to ripple, add scallops in an even layer without crowding. Let cook undisturbed, 60-90 seconds. Scallops are ready to flip when they are evenly caramelized and no longer stick to the skillet. Before flipping, sprinkle with sea salt. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the asparagus purée.
• When scallops are golden brown on the first side, they should release easily from the skillet. Using a small offset spatula, flip each scallop to sear the second side; continue sautéing, 30-45 more seconds, depending on size. Remove scallops to a paper towel-lined plate and let rest while finishing the sauce.
• Add half of the asparagus tips to the warmed purée. Add butter, then swirl the saucepan continuously until all the butter has melted and emulsified into the purée to make a rich sauce.
• Immediately before serving, add the lemon juice to the asparagus sauce and stir to combine; taste and adjust seasoning. Divide the sauce among plates or large bowls, then place the scallops on the sauce. Garnish with remaining asparagus tips and serve immediately.

PAN ROASTED OSTRICH WITH CRISPY SWEETBREADS, SALSIFY PUREE, POTATO PUREE, OVEN-DRIED TOMATOES, PENCIL ASPARAGUS, ENOKI MUSHROOMS, AND GLACE DES MEDOC

Steps:

• Bring court bouillon to a simmer in a saucepan. Add sweetbreads and poach for approximately 9 minutes. Remove sweetbreads and discard liquid. Press sweetbreads between 2 sheet trays until completely cool. Peel membranes and separate into bite-size
• pieces.
• Just before serving, dust sweetbreads with flour, shaking off excess. Melt butter in a skillet over high heat, add sweetbreads, and sear until crispy. Add lemon juice to deglaze the pan. Keep warm.
• In a saucepan, bring several inches of water and the lemon juice to a simmer. Peel salsify and add to acidulated water; simmer until very tender. Strain and then transfer salsify to the bowl of a food processor. Add cream and melted butter and puree until smooth. The consistency should be more like a sauce than a puree. Keep warm.
• In a saucepan, simmer potatoes in water until tender. Strain and then put potatoes through a potato ricer. In a medium bowl, whip potatoes potatoes with hot cream and butter. Keep warm.
• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
• Slice tomatoes into 1/4-inch thick slices. In a medium bowl, toss tomatoes with olive oil. Arrange tomato slices on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Set aside.
• Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan. Add shallots and saute until beginning to brown. Add wine and stir to deglaze the pan. Cook until wine is reduced to a syrup. Add veal stock and reduce until sauce consistency. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, and swirl to combine. Keep warm.
• Melt oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season ostrich with salt and pepper. When pan is hot, add ostrich and sear on both sides until cooked to a medium doneness; it will not take long, as ostrich cooks very quickly and is not good when over-cooked. Reserve and keep warm. It may be necessary to sear the ostrich in 2 batches, so as not to over-crowd the pan.
• To serve, layer potatoes with spinach and tomatoes in a 2-inch ring mold. Place a pretty oval of potato on top with another dried tomato. Spoon a thin line of salsify puree onto the plate. Slice the ostrich on a sharp bias and place it next to the potato stack. Garnish with sweetbreads, asparagus, and enoki mushrooms. Drizzle Medoc reduction around the plate.

SAUTEED RED SNAPPER FILLETS WITH LEMON ASPARAGUS PURéE

Steps:

• Cut tips off 12 asparagus spears and reserve. Cut all spears into 1/2-inch pieces and cook in a saucepan of salted boiling water until tender, about 6 minutes. Transfer cooked asparagus with a slotted spoon to a blender and purée with 1 cup cooking liquid, reserving remaining cooking liquid in pan. Keep purée warm in a small saucepan.
• Have ready a bowl of ice and cold water. Return reserved cooking liquid to a boil and blanch reserved asparagus tips until just tender, about 3 minutes. Drain tips and immediately transfer to ice water to stop cooking. Drain tips and reserve for garnish.
• Scrub potato and cut lengthwise into four 1/2-inch-thick slices. In saucepan cook potato slices in salted boiling water to cover until tender, about 5 minutes, and transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Keep potatoes warm, covered.
• Pat snapper dry and season with salt and pepper. In a large non-stick skillet heat oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and cook fish, skin sides down, about 3 minutes, or until skin is golden brown. Turn fish over and cook 2 minutes more, or until just cooked through.
• Whisk lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste into asparagus purée. Spoon some sauce onto 4 plates and top each portion with a potato slice and a fish fillet. Garnish fish with asparagus tips and serve remaining sauce on side.

PAN ROASTED FILET MIGNON WITH ASPARAGUS SEA BASS WITH ROASTED CAULIFLOWER PUREE

Steps:

• In a small pot, over medium-low heat, add the vinegar and brown sugar, and whisk to combine. Cook and reduce until thick, about the consistency of maple syrup. Whisk in 2 tablespoons butter and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve drizzled over filet mignon and asparagus.
• For Filet and Asparagus:
• Slice the bottom 1 1/2 inches off the asparagus. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Add the asparagus and blanch for 1 minute. Remove from the water and shock in an ice bath. Transfer the asparagus from the ice bath to a sheet pan lined with a paper towel.
• Take the filets out of the refrigerator 20 minutes before they are to be cooked so they can come to temperature.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• Heat canola oil in a large heavy bottomed skilled over high heat. Season each filet liberally with salt and pepper. Sear the filets in the skillet until brown and crispy, about 2 minutes per side. Turn the heat to low and add the 4 tablespoons of butter, the garlic and fresh thyme. Using a spoon, baste the filets with the melted butter. Put the pan in the oven for 4 to 5 minutes for medium-rare or until the internal temperature reaches 130 to 135 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
• Heat a small amount of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the asparagus, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and saute until heated through, about 2 minutes. Asparagus should be slightly tender but still have a little snap when you bite into them.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• To a large baking dish add the cauliflower, apple, and 3 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and toss to coat. Roast in oven until brown on top, about 25 minutes, then add the vegetable stock and roast until tender, another 20 minutes.
• Add the roasted cauliflower, apple and stock to a food processor and puree until smooth. Transfer to a metal bowl and put over a pot of simmering water to keep warm.
• Turn oven down to 325 degrees F.
• Heat some canola oil in a large heavy bottomed skilled over high heat. Season each fillet liberally with salt and pepper. Sear the fillets, skin side down, until brown and crispy, turn over and crisp the other side, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Turn off the heat, add butter and, using a spoon, baste the fillets with the melted butter. Transfer to the oven to finish cooking, about 4 minutes.
• Beurre Blanc Sauce:
• Slice the green leaves off the leek and discard. Slice the stem into 1/4-inch thick rings. Put them into a large bowl filled with cold water and let soak for 5 minutes. Remove the leaks and drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and saute until soft, about 4 minutes. Deglaze the pan with white wine and add the vegetable stock. Reduce by half and then whisk in the cold butter. Serve over sea bass.
• To Plate:
• Using a rectangular plate lay a bed of 3 to 4 asparagus down on 1 side of the plate. Arrange a piece of filet mignon on top and drizzle with the balsamic reduction. On the other side of the plate put about a 1/4 cup of the cauliflower puree, top with a piece of sea bass and drizzle with the leek sauce. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make a total of 6 servings.

PAN-SEARED HALIBUT WITH WHITE ASPARAGUS RISOTTO AND PEA PURéE

Steps:

• Marinate the halibut:
• In a large bowl or baking dish, whisk together the oil, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Add the halibut and stir to coat it in the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate, in the refrigerator, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Make the pea purée:
• In a blender or food processor, blend together the peas, spinach, and lemon juice, stopping and scraping down the sides occasionally, and blending until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Make the asparagus and risotto:
• Fill a large bowl with ice water.
• In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus and boil, uncovered, until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain, then immediately plunge the spears into the ice water to stop cooking. Drain the asparagus again and pat dry.
• In a medium saucepan sauté pan over moderately high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the asparagus and toss it in the melted butter. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• In a medium saucepan over moderate heat, warm the chicken stock. Keep the stock hot on the stove.
• In a second medium saucepan over moderate heat, warm the olive oil. Add the shallot and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the rice and sauté, stirring constantly, until just toasted. Add 1 cup of hot stock and simmer, stirring frequently, until the stock is almost absorbed, about 4 minutes. Add more stock, 1 cup at a time, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding the next and stirring often, until the rice is tender and the mixture creamy, about 20 minutes longer. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter, Parmesan cheese, chives, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
• Finish the halibut:
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Remove the halibut from the marinade and pat dry, then roll each fillet in a piece of caul fat. In a large sauté pan over moderate heat, warm the olive oil. Sear the halibut on all sides, then finish in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes.
• To serve:
• Divide the risotto among 4 plates. Top with asparagus and halibut, and drizzle with pea purée.

ASPARAGUS PUREE

Steps:

• Bring a small saucepan filled with water to a boil over high heat. Prepare an ice-water bath; set a medium bowl in ice-water bath and set aside.
• Heat olive oil in a large shallow saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and reduce heat to low; cook, until onion is soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add asparagus; stir to coat.
• Add enough boiling water just to cover asparagus; let cook for 2 minutes. Drain asparagus mixture in a fine mesh strainer and transfer to bowl set in ice-water bath; let cool slightly.
• Transfer asparagus mixture to the jar of a blender along with spinach leaves. Add enough water just to blend; blend until smooth.

PUREE OF ASPARAGUS - FROM SPLENDID SOUPS

Steps:

• Boil water in a 6 quart pot. Cut off and discard 2 inches of the asparagus base. Cut off the tips and reserve. Chop stalks into 1-inch segments and reserve. When the water comes to a boil, put the asparagus tips in a strainer and submerge them for 2 to 3 minutes (tender but not mushy). Take them out - don't throw out the water - and rinse them under cold water. Put the stalks in the boiling water and simmer for 5 minutes to eliminate bitterness. Rinse stalks under cold water - pour out the water. Heat butter in 4 quart pot over medium heat. Add onions and potato and stir every 2 minutes for about 10 minutes, until onions turn translucent (not brown) and potatoes soften slightly. Add the broth, the cut-up asparagus stalks, and the parsley. Simmer for 15 minutes until the asparagus and potatoes are thoroughly softeneed. Puree the soup in a food processor. Strain it thru a medium mesh strainer. Heat the soup, add the heavy cream, and season with salt and pepper. Either add tips to soup or heat them and arrange on top of soup (on a thin slice of buttered toast).