Asparagus Mousse With Ham Red Onion Salad Recipes

ASPARAGUS MOUSSE WITH HAM & RED ONION SALAD

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a heavy-based pan. Once it's foaming, add the asparagus and cook for 4-5 mins until soft but not coloured. Remove from the pan and drain well on kitchen paper. Rinse out the pan and pour in the cream, milk and garlic. Bring to the boil, simmer until reduced to 350ml - check by pouring into a measuring jug - then add the asparagus and boil for a few secs. Remove from the heat.
• Blend the mixture in a liquidiser along with the spinach leaves, then sieve into a clean bowl. Add the soaked gelatine and stir until dissolved. Sieve again and allow to cool for a few mins in the fridge, but do not let it set.
• Beat the egg white to soft peaks, then carefully fold into the asparagus mix and season. Divide the mousse between 4 glasses or ramekins and leave them to set in the fridge.
• To make the ham salad, mix all the ingredients, apart from the watercress, in a small bowl and season. When the mousse is set, remove each glass from the fridge, place some watercress leaves on top of the mousse, spoon on the diced ham salad and drizzle with a little olive oil.

ASPARAGUS-CARAMELIZED ONION SALAD

Steps:

• Heat the extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan, in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until caramel colored, stirring occasionally.
• Pour 1-inch of water into a skillet and bring to boil. Add salt and asparagus and cook 3 minutes, drain.
• Stir in thyme, mustard, balsamic vinegar and pepper into onions and toss with asparagus to coat.

COS, ASPARAGUS & RED ONION SALAD

Steps:

• Peel the asparagus bases with a swivel peeler and trim the woody ends. Blanch in boiling salted water for 1½-2 mins until just tender. Drain and refresh under cold running water.
• Trim the base of the lettuce leaves and arrange on a large shallow bowl or platter. Scatter over the asparagus spears and red onion, season well and drizzle with vinaigrette just before serving.

PAN-FRIED ASPARAGUS WITH ONIONS

Steps:

• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Cook and stir asparagus in melted butter until bright green, but still firm, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Stir 1 tablespoon butter and onion into asparagus; sprinkle with onion salt.
• Cook and stir until onion is slightly browned and asparagus are tender, 3 to 5 minutes.

ASPARAGUS, HAM, AND POACHED EGG SALAD

Steps:

• Prepare a large bowl of ice water.
• Fill the pasta pot with 3 quarts of water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the coarse salt and the asparagus. Blanch, uncovered, until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. (Cooking time will vary according to the size and tenderness of the asparagus.) Immediately remove the colander from the water, letting the water drain from the asparagus. Plunge the asparagus into the ice water so they cool down as quickly as possible and retain their crispness and bright green color. (The asparagus will cool in 1 to 2 minutes. After that, they will soften and begin to lose crispness and flavor.) Drain the asparagus and wrap it in a thick kitchen towel to dry. (Do not cook the asparagus in advance or it will lose its crispness.)
• Break each egg into a ramekin or small cup. Set aside. In a large, shallow saucepan, bring 2 inches of water to a boil. Add the vinegar. One by one, bring the edge of a ramekin or cup level with the surface of the water and slide the egg in gently. Turn off the heat and cover the pan. Poach the eggs until the whites are firm but the yolks are still runny and are covered with a thin, translucent layer of white, about 3 minutes.
• With the sieve or slotted spoon, carefully lift the eggs from the water and transfer them to several thicknesses of paper towels.
• Place the salad greens and chives in a large salad bowl. Toss with just enough dressing to coat the greens lightly and evenly.
• Place the asparagus on a large plate and add just enough dressing to lightly coat the spears. Roll the asparagus in the dressing.
• Arrange the dressed greens at one side of each of 4 large dinner plates. (Rectangular plates are particularly beautiful here.) Carefully place a poached egg alongside. Arrange 4 asparagus spears next to the eggs. Carefully drape a slice of ham over each of the poached eggs. Season the greens lightly with fine sea salt and generously with pepper. Sprinkle with chives. Serve with the toast.

SPRING ASPARAGUS, HAM AND POTATO SALAD - HONEY MUSTARD DRESSING

Steps:

• Make up the dressing by putting all the dressing ingredients into a jar and shaking it well. The dressing can be made up well in advance.
• Choose two attractive plates or bowls and start to assemble the salad.
• Place the potatoes on the plate/bowl first and then arrange the strips of ham & asparagus spears over the top - gently mix through to "just" mingle the ingredients together.
• Next, scatter the minced/finely diced red onion over and then the sliced cornichons - if you are using them.
• Pour over the honey & mustard dressing - giving the salad a liberal dousing!
• Season and scatter the chopped chives and/or the chopped chervil over the top.
• Serve with crusty bread & a glass of crisp, chilled white Chablis or Chardonnay!
• Optional ideas:.
• You could also add peas, broad beans, olives or crispy bacon!

ASPARAGUS, PECORINO AND RED ONION SALAD

Steps:

• Cut the asparagus, including the tips into very thin slices, crosswise and place in a medium bowl. Add the red onion and pecorino and toss to combine. Dress with the vinegar, olive oil and salt and toss again. This salad should be fairly heavily dressed. The vinegar will sort of "cook" or tenderize the asparagus.
• It is best to do this about an hour or so in advance to let the flavors "marry".
• Semplice!

ROASTED ASPARAGUS AND RED ONION QUESADILLAS

Steps:

• For Quesadillas:
• Preheat oven to 500°F.
• In a large shallow baking pan, toss asparagus with 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and salt and pepper to taste until coated well. In another large shallow baking pan, toss onion with 1 1/2 teaspoons oil until coated well. Roast vegetables in upper and lower thirds of oven, shaking pans occasionally and switching position of pans in oven halfway through baking, until tender and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Cool vegetables and cut asparagus into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
• Preheat broiler.
• Grease a large baking sheet. On sheet, arrange 4 tortillas in one layer and divide vegetables, pepper Jack, and coriander among them. Cover quesadillas with remaining 4 tortillas.
• Brush top tortillas with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and broil quesadillas about 3 inches from heat until golden brown, about 2 minutes. With a metal spatula, turn quesadillas over and broil until golden brown, about 2 minutes.
• Make cumin lime cream while quesadillas broil.
• For Cumin Lime Cream:
• In a small bowl, whisk together well cream ingredients.
• Cut quesadillas into wedges and serve with cumin lime cream.

ASPARAGUS AND SERRANO HAM SALAD WITH TOASTED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Have ready a large bowl of ice and cold water. Cook asparagus in boiling salted water until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain spears, then refresh in ice water. Drain asparagus again and pat dry.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook almonds, bread crumbs, and cumin, stirring frequently, until toasted, 3 to 4 minutes. Cool. Add remaining oil to vinegar in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.
• Toss escarole with half of dressing and mound on plates. Arrange ham around escarole and top salad with asparagus. Drizzle asparagus with remaining dressing. Sprinkle salad with almond-and-crumb mixture.