Asparagus With Fresh Basil Sauce Recipes

ASPARAGUS WITH FRESH BASIL SAUCE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix the first 6 ingredients until blended; refrigerate until serving., In a Dutch oven, bring water to a boil. Add asparagus in batches; cook, uncovered, until crisp-tender, 2-3 minutes. Remove and immediately drop into ice water. Drain and pat dry. Serve with sauce.

SAUTEED ASPARAGUS WITH OLIVES AND BASIL

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the asparagus, 1/4 teaspoon salt and some pepper and cook, stirring, until the asparagus is bright green and crisp-tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the olives, basil and 1/4 teaspoon salt and toss well. Serve.

ASPARAGUS WITH BASIL-PARMESAN BUTTER

Steps:

• Cook asparagus in large pot of boiling salted water until just crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain well.
• Arrange asparagus on broilerproof platter. Preheat broiler.
• Beat butter in medium bowl until fluffy.
• Beat in cheese, basil, garlic and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Drop butter mixture by teaspoonfuls over asparagus.
• Broil asparagus until topping browns, watching closely to avoid burning, about 3 minutes. Serve hot.

STIR-FRIED ASPARAGUS AND BASIL WITH SPICY ORANGE SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the orange juice, soy sauce, and hot red pepper flakes in a small bowl and set aside.
• Snap off the tough ends of the asparagus. If the asparagus are thin, cut them on the diagonal into 2-inch pieces. If the asparagus are average or thicker, cut the spears in half lengthwise and then on the diagonal in 2-inch pieces.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet set over high heat. When the oil is shimmering but not smoking, add the asparagus and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Push the asparagus to the sides of the pan and place the garlic and ginger in the center. Drizzle the remaining 1 teaspoon oil over the garlic and ginger. Cook until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add the orange juice mixture, toss to coat well, and cover. Cook until the asparagus are tender, 2 to 3 minutes, depending on the thickness of the spears.
• Remove the cover and add the basil. Stir-fry until the sauce has reduced to a thick glaze, about 30 seconds. Serve immediately.

CHILLED ASPARAGUS WITH BASIL CREAM

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring 8 cups water to a boil. Add half the asparagus; cook, uncovered, just until crisp-tender, 2-4 minutes. Remove and immediately drop into ice water. Drain and pat dry. Repeat with remaining asparagus. Arrange on a serving platter., Place mayonnaise, cream, 3 tablespoons basil, garlic, salt and pepper in a food processor; cover and process until blended. Spoon over asparagus. Garnish with pine nuts, lemon peel and remaining 1 tablespoon basil.

GRILLED ASPARAGUS WITH A BASIL-GOAT CHEESE SAUCE

Steps:

• ASPARAGUS:.
• Brush grill with olive oil and heat the grill on a low heat.
• Cut tough ends off asparagus.
• Brush asparagus with oil and then place on the grill on a low heat.
• Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
• Cook until crunchy and tender.
• SAUCE:.
• Remove stems from basil. Mince or press garlic.
• Add goat cheese, sour cream, butter milk, and basil to a food processor. Process until mixed, almost dip like.
• Heat butter in a sauce pan on medium and sautee garlic until fragrant (about 1 minute).
• Stir in goat cheese mixture into the garlic saucepan and stir on medium heat until warmed. Pour sauce over asparagus or serve in a side dish.

PENNE WITH ASPARAGUS AND BASIL

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and red pepper; sauté until garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Add asparagus, tomatoes, stock and 1/4 cup sliced basil. Cook until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Transfer to large bowl.
• Pour sauce over pasta. Add cheese, parsley and 1/4 cup chopped basil. Toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

ASPARAGUS WITH LEMON-BASIL GOUDA CHEESE SAUCE

Steps:

• Place the asparagus in a microwave proof plate, sprinkle with salt water, use plastic wrap to cover, then reserve.
• Combine the basil leaves, shallots, garlic, cayenne pepper and puree in a food blender.
• In a non-stick pot place 2 tablespoons margarine, pureed basil leaves and cook briefly.
• Add ¼-1/2 stock, bring to a boil, add lemon juice and salt to taste, add corn starch mixture and stir until smooth and very thick (no lumps), let cool for about a minute.
• Cook the asparagus in the microwave for 3 to 3-1/2 minutes.
• As the asparagus is being cooked in the microwave, add the egg yolks a little at a time to the sauce (with flame/burner turned off), blend, stirring with a whisk and make sure there are no lumps.
• Remove the plastic wrap from the asparagus dish and discard the water.
• Pour the sauce over the asparagus, sprinkle the grated cheese over the asparagus sauce.
• Then place the plate under a broiler or in a toaster over for a minute or so in order for the cheese to melt.
• Finally, sprinkle pine nuts and sun dried-tomatoes on top.
• Serve and enjoy!
• Note: Gouda is a mild cheese and Asiago is a stronger tasting cheese.

ASPARAGUS WITH SAUCE ALSACIENNE

Steps:

• Trim the ends off the asparagus and place in a pot of boiling salted water. Bring the water to a second boil, reduce the heat and boil slowly, uncovered, for 2 to 5 minutes, until the spears bend a little but are not limp. Drain and rinse them under cold running water until cool. Spread the cooked spears in a single layer on paper towels so they will finish cooling quickly.
• Place the eggs on a spoon and lower into a small saucepan of boiling water. Boil the eggs for 3 minutes (3 1/2 if they are chilled). Rinse under cold running water until cool enough to handle. Hit each egg with a knife at ''the equator'' and pull the halves apart. With a spoon, pull out the yolks into a medium-size bowl. Set aside the whites, in their shells, to finish cooking.
• Whisk the yolks until they are thick and sticky. Whisk in the mustard, salt and vinegar. Add the oil, whisking by hand or with an electric mixer, drop by drop at first and then in a steady stream. When all the oil is incorporated, stir in the shallots, parsley and basil or tarragon and taste for salt. Sieve or finely chop the egg whites and fold them in, if desired. If sauce is too thick for dipping, thin with a little vinegar.

RAVIOLI, PANCETTA & ASPARAGUS IN BASIL CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat a skillet on medium-high heat and cook pancetta until crisp. When done, move to a paper towel-lined plate and gently pat dry with another paper towel. Crumble with your hands and set aside.
• In a small sauce pot, combine Neufchatel - vinegar and place on low heat. Let cheese melt and flavors simmer for about 5 minutes. Whisk every so often to ensure cheese is not sticking to bottom of pan. Taste and season with salt/pepper if needed.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. As this is heating, wash your asparagus. Trim off tough edges and then cut each spear into 3 - 4 pieces, depending on the size.
• Cook ravioli according to package instructions. Blanch asparagus in the same water. Since my ravioli only took ~ 3 minutes to cook, I threw the asparagus in at the same time. You do not want to cook asparagus more than 3 - 4 minutes or it will actually start to cook instead of "blanch", so time this step wisely and according to your ravioli.
• Once ravioli is cooked and asparagus is blanched, drain in a large colander.
• Return ravioli and asparagus to large pot and toss with sauce. Sprinkle with pancetta crumbs and top with additional basil, if desired.

ASPARAGUS SOUP WITH BASIL CREAM

Steps:

• In a small saucepan simmer reserved asparagus ends in water, covered, 15 minutes. Remove and discard asparagus ends with slotted spoon and bring water to a boil. Add reserved asparagus tips and cook, uncovered, over high heat until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer asparagus tips with slotted spoon to a colander, reserving cooking liquid, and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Drain tips well.
• In a 4-quart heavy saucepan cook onions in butter with salt and pepper to taste over moderate heat, stirring until pale golden. Add asparagus stalk pieces, broth, and reserved cooking liquid and simmer, covered, 15 minutes, or until asparagus pieces are tender.
• Basil cream
• Make basil cream while soup simmers: In a small saucepan bring cream to a boil and stir in basil and salt. Cook mixture over high heat, stirring, until basil is wilted, about 5 to 10 seconds, and in a blender purée mixture. Return basil cream to small saucepan and keep warm.
• Purée soup in cleaned blender in small batches and return to 4-quart saucepan, thinning with water if desired. Season soup with salt and pepper and heat over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
• Divide soup among 6 bowls and add asparagus tips, arranging them decoratively. Drizzle basil cream over each serving.