The impending asparagus season has us thinking ahead to what we might make with the delicious green stalks. Being in the Okanagan Valley, Mission Hill Winery sees plenty of locally grown produce long before other parts of the country. Chef Patrick Gayler of Mission Hill's Terrace Restaurant has created this simple, but tasty recipe for you, so that when the time comes and you find yourself with fresh local asparagus, you'll know exactly what to do.
If you're looking for a glass of wine to accompany this asparagus dish, chef Gayler suggests either a sauvignon blanc or pinot gris.
Beet relish
Combine mustard seed, powder, coriander, and vinegar in a small sauce pot and bring to a simmer over medium low heat.
Add onion and continue to simmer until onions are soft.
Add honey and continue to simmer lightly until most of the moisture has been cooked out. Remove from heat.
Dice the cooked beets and combine with the relish, while all ingredients are still warm.
Season with salt and pepper.
This can now be reserved for dressing the asparagus or transferred to an airtight container and kept in the fridge for up to a week.
Tarragon remoulade
Combine egg, garlic, mustard, lemon juice, and capers in a large bowl and whisk well.
Begin to slowly add in the oil while whisking to emulsify to your desired thickness. If it's too thick, add a little more lemon juice. If not thick enough, add an additional 3 to 5 tbsp of oil.
Toss in chopped tarragon and season with salt and pepper.
Asparagus and assembly
Preheat a large sauté or grill pan on high heat.
Lightly oil asparagus spears and season with salt and pepper.
Once pan is very hot, lay asparagus down in a single layer to allow even charring.
After 3-4 minutes, remove the asparagus from the heat.
To assemble, spread remoulade across four medium sized plates.
In a separate bowl, toss asparagus gently with the relish and arrange equal portions on top of remoulade on each plate.
Garnish each serving with sliced ham and a splash of olive oil and serve immediately.
- Yield:
- Serves 4
- Prep Time:
- 15 minutes
- Cook Time:
- 5 minutes
