One of the most popular spring dishes in our wine bar has been this asparagus dish. It’s everything we want from a spring plate: deliciousness that feels unrehearsed, no matter how many hours went into it. Paired with the perfect bottle of wine, at your own table, it's just as good. Give it a try. We think it will change your life.
The Chef's Notes
“Our overarching goal is to represent farmers on the wine side of things, and that’s exactly how we cook back here.
Pomykala Farm in Grand Isle is the best expression of asparagus that I’ve ever had. I’ve been out to the farm and harvested asparagus with them, and just chopping the asparagus and eating it right out of the ground is unbelievably crazy. It made me realize that not enough people are eating asparagus raw. So I always try to do an uncooked version of asparagus every spring, because its just something that is delicious and not done enough.”
Wine Pairings
Corsican rosé and white wines, Bandol rosé, or a Friulano? Count us in.
Ingredients
(For 3- 4 people)
1 bunch (about 15 stalks) asparagus
3 tbsp macadamia nuts
2 tbsp olive oil
Scallop powder or bonito flakes
For the Tonnato*:
½ lb albacore tuna or 2 cans of canned tuna in olive oil
2 egg yolks
½ tbsp dijon mustard
1 clove of garlic
2 tsp lemon juice, divided
3 cups canola and olive oil blended**
*Makes one quart. You’ll have leftovers, which you can use on toasts, pastas, sandwiches, and so much more.
**Micah
Instructions
First, make the tonnato.
If you are going to confit the tuna, heat your oven to 325 F. Place the tuna and one cup of olive oil in a baking dish and cook for about 35-45 minutes. Once cooled, use the leftover oil in your aioli.
Alternatively, you can use two cans of tuna in olive oil instead.
Build the aioli base by mixing the egg yolks, dijon, tuna, a pinch of salt, and 1 tsp lemon juice in a medium bowl. Slowly add the remaining two cups of oil, plus the reserved one cup of confit oil, while whisking, to make sure it's not breaking. (If you’re using canned, use the entire three cups of oil.) You can add a little bit of ice water if it starts to get too thick.
Next, lightly toast the macadamia nuts in a tbsp of olive oil and a pinch of salt on the stovetop. Transfer to a 350-degree oven to finish toasting for 5-8 minutes. Allow to cool, and then crush the nuts.
Chop the asparagus into bite-sized pieces and place in a medium bowl. Add a pinch of salt and a tsp of lemon juice, as well as a drizzle of olive oil. Toss to dress all of the asparagus.
To serve, spread 2-3 tbsp of the tonnato on each plate. Then top with the dressed asparagus. Add about 1 tbsp of the toasted nuts, and finally, finish with a pinch of bonito flakes.
