Asparagus With Almond Sauce
“This is a delightfully elegant and simple side dish. Be sure not to overcook the asparagus. The time I have given in the recipe is only a guideline. Asparagus can be quite thin or fairly fat so be guided by that. For thin asparagus cook for 5 minutes and test it, for fat asparagus you may need to cook it for 10 minutes or longer. ”
Prep time - 10 minutes
Cook time - 5-10 minutes
Difficulty - Easy
Serves / makes - 4 small portions
Ingredients
2 handfuls almonds, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes (if you want a finer sauce remove the almond skins)
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon water (more if the blender needs it)
2 bunches thick asparagus
Equipment
Hand blender or food processor
Large frying pan with lid
Method
To make the sauce use a hand blender or food processor. Purée the almonds, garlic, oil, lemon juice and water. Add salt to taste.
Braise the asparagus by heating the oil in a large frying pan, add asparagus and a splash of water, immediately put the lid on. Cook for 5-10 minutes until the asparagus is just cooked. You can alternatively griddle the asparagus.
Serve the asparagus alongside the sauce and some spiced quinoa.
