This served as my send-off meal for William, who is spending his summer in New York for a law internship—insert pitiful Caroline face here.
With asparagus in season and a jar of truffles begging to be opened, I assembled this simple yet luxurious vegetarian dinner.
First, I put on a pot of creamy polenta, which is nothing but 1 cup water and 1 cup milk (brought to a boil) with 1/2 cup corn meal, a few tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste. Be sure to stir the polenta frequently to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Next, I blanched asparagus spears and shocked them with ice water to stop the cooking.
I melted a few tablespoons of butter in a small saute pan and added two thinly sliced truffles and a pinch of salt. I kept the truffle butter on low heat and re-warmed the asparagus in the fungusy goodness.
Meanwhile, I poached three eggs in a large pot of salted water with a few tablespoons of vinegar added in. One egg turned out beautifully, the other two a bit deformed. I’ll have to work on my technique.
Two nights later William and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary with a five-course dinner at Chanterelle in New York, where we enjoyed a similar (but superior) dish. Chanterelle’s rendition consisted of grilled asparagus atop a truffle vinaigrette with a poached egg and shaved Parmesan. It was paired with a spright, minerally Chablis.
The flavors were all there. And they reminded of us of our Provence honeymoon with its asparagus-spiked dinners and picnics. One year behind us and one more season of asparagus love.