We are enjoying the beginning of the asparagus season here in my world – delicious, crisp, young spears to let us know that spring is really here. I have been celebrating its arrival with an old world sauce that is new to my repetoire, but one that I am sure will become an old favourite.
At the start of the season I like to savour my first bunches of asparagus, serving them simply, lightly steamed or blanched with some good butter, salt and pepper and relishing the taste of each slightly salty buttery spear. It is week two now and I am ready to add a little something more, that said I am still looking for clean fresh flavours to enhance but not overwhelm the asparagus. Enter Mimosa sauce, a traditional accompaniment to asparagus that I had somehow missed. Eggs and asparagus are a traditional combination always rich and delicious, and although I will never say no to hollandaise sauce, this delicious Mimosa sauce – which is almost an egg salsa – is somehow fresher and lighter for the start of spring. With the red wine vinegar, capers and mustard this is a punchy sauce that offers lots of umami goodness.
Mimosa Sauce is conveniently made up of ingredients that are easy to come by, and often in our refrigerator anyway. Parsley is one of the herbs that hopefully survive the winter somewhere in the garden, and although I haven’t done this I am sure you could sub the shallot for some finely chopped spring or red onion. Make sure you have some good quality free range or organic eggs and you are set to make this at as soon as the asparagus arrives in your world.
MIMOSA SAUCE AND FRESH ASPARAGUS
This will make enough sauce for three bunches of asparagus and at least four people as a side dish or brunch/lunch.
Ingredients
- Three bunches of fresh asparagus steamed or blanched
- 2 hard boiled eggs cut in small dice
- 1 Tablespoon of red wine vinegar
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- 2 tablespoons capers drained and roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- freshly ground pepper
Start by cooking the asparagus – lightly steamed or blanched to taste – I think three or four minutes at most .
Finely chop the shallot and marinate in the red wine vinegar for a couple of minutes in a bowl large enough to mix all the sauce ingredients.
While the shallots are marinating
- Finely chop the parsley.
- Roughly chop the drained capers.
- Chop the eggs into fine dice – you are not going to get perfect squares out of a round egg so be kind to yourself –
Now you can mix the Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt and pepper into the shallots. Mix well.
Next you can add the eggs parsley and capers and gently fold all together.
Serve the sauce over the asparagus when you are ready to eat with a light drizzle of your favourite olive oil.
This will work as a course on its own, as a light lunch with a slice of fresh bread, or as a side as part of a main meal.
Delicious xxxx
Maybe next week will be time to start mixing it up and grilling some asparagus, yum…….
