Butter Braised Asparagus and Mushrooms with Peas, Tarragon, Nuts and Lemon

Butter Braised Asparagus

I finally got my hands on some locally grown asparagus last weekend. This is very exciting, as asparagus is at the top of my all-time-favorite-vegetables list, and because there’s not much that beats the flavor when it is newly harvested.

I spent hours wondering what I’d do with it. I could simply roast the stalks in a drizzle of olive oil and a little salt (my favorite preparation), but I wanted something more substantial. Then I remembered the butter braised asparagus I made same time last year when I was having a similar quandary. It has peas, which are also at the top of my all-time-favorite-vegetables list (yes, I do know they are a legume, but work with me on this one), and I had tarragon left over from last week’s chicken pot pie.

Where the original recipe calls for oyster mushrooms, I used a mushroom medley. I added some nuts for crunch, and some lemon for brightness, as well as a few slivers of parmigiano-reggiano, which made this more than just a side dish. Served over a bed of arugula that had been lightly dressed with olive oil, it became our dinner.

Butter Braised Asparagus and Mushrooms with Peas and Tarragon
Adapted from Melissa Clark’s recipe, published May 7, 2008, in the New York Times

– 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
– 8 ounces mushrooms, trimmed and cut into 3/4 inch pieces (preferably oyster, shitake, portobello, or a similar flavorful mushroom, or any combination)
– Kosher salt, to taste
– Freshly ground pepper, to taste
– 12 ounces asparagus, trimmed, and cut into 1 1/4 pieces (see note below on trimming)
– 4 scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
– 3/4 cups frozen peas
– 1/3 cup chopped walnuts or raw almonds (with skins)
– 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
– Juice of 1/2 a lemon
– 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
– Several slivers of Parmigiano-Reggiano

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to coat mushrooms with butter. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

2. Stir in asparagus, scallions and remaining tablespoon butter. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook for about 2 minutes if using thin asparagus, and up to 7 minutes for thick asparagus (until asparagus is just slightly less than fully cooked).

3. Stir in peas, tarragon, lemon juice, lemon zest, and nuts. Cover and cook about three minutes, until peas are heated through and asparagus is tender. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

4. Serve warm, garnished with several shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Public Service Announcement:  Trimming Asparagus
I do not subscribe to the theory that if you snap a piece of asparagus by bending it, you will be left with the perfectly edible portion and may then discard the rest. Snapping a piece of asparagus and tossing the stem end is one of the most atrocious examples of waste I have ever seen. See this photo of snapped asparagus:

Snapped Asparagus

I simply can’t believe that a third of an asparagus stalk is inedible, can you? Dear readers, I beg of you, do not snap your asparagus! Cut a half-inch or so from the bottom to remove the dry end, and then peel the stalk a bit if your asparagus is thick or woody. Asparagus growers everywhere will thank you.

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One Response to “Butter Braised Asparagus and Mushrooms with Peas, Tarragon, Nuts and Lemon”

  1. I only ever cut the smallest amount I can from asparagus—never ever snap it either. And usually save the trimmings to make a vegetable stock (with pea pods, if I get both at the market).

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