Green Asparagus With Gribiche Sauce

When it comes to fresh green asparagus, cold meat or fish, and cold cuts (charcuterie), the Gribiche sauce is the perfect option. It has all the great features of a spicy vinaigrette (French salad dressing) but it is creamy and rich at the same time.

By the way, the asparagus season begins in late March and ends in June. April is definitely the prime month.

Green asparagus covered with Gribiche sauce

Serving: 4 persons

Preparation time: 15 minutes for the sauce + 15 minutes for the asparagus

Ingredients:

• 2 boiled eggs

• 1 table spoon of Dijon mustard

• 1 table spoon of capers (chop them if you have big ones)

• 2 table spoons of chopped pickled cucumbers

• 2 table spoons of chopped parsley or chive

• 6 table spoons of oil

• 2 table spoons of vinegar (not black balsamico, preferably white wine, cider)

• 1 table spoon of finely chopped chive for decoration at the end (optional)

• Black pepper

• Salt

• 12 green asparagus

Step 1 - Making the Gribiche sauce (photos step by step below)

In a bowl:

1. Crush with a fork or whisk both boiled egg yolks, we will use the white parts later

2. Add a table spoon of Dijon mustard and mix until you have a creamy yellow paste

3. Add your 6 table spoons of oil and mix again

4. Add your capers

5. Add your chopped pickled cucumbers

6. Add 2 pinches of black pepper

7. Add 2 pinches of sea salt

8. Mix everything together

9. Add 2 table spoons of vinegar and mix again

10. Add your 2 table spoons of chopped parsley and mix again

11. Pass your boiled egg whites through a steel sieve (or chop them finely) and add them to your sauce. Mix again

Bravo, your Gribiche sauce is ready!

If you are going to serve your asparagus in the next 30 minutes, no need to put your sauce in the fridge, you can keep it in room temperature. If you will serve your asparagus later that day, refrigerate your sauce and take it out from the fridge 15 minutes before dressing. This sauce can be kept up to 24 hours in the fridge.

Step 2 - Cooking your asparagus

There are different ways to cook your green asparagus. In this recipe, I boiled them but grilled on the barbecue or in the oven or fried in a pan with a bit of olive oil will work very well too. In this recipe, I serve 3 green asparagus per person.

Boiled green asparagus:

1. Cut off a few cm at the base of your asparagus, the part that usually is pale and not green, this part can be thrown away

2. Peel gently the lower half of the asparagus to remove the skin

3. Boil them in salt water for 5 to 6 minutes (Best is to do it in a frying pan filled with water or in a large pot than can fit the asparagus)

4. When they are cooked you can put them in ice water to stop the cooking or serve them right away. I like them slightly warm on my plate but cold is fine too

Step 3 - Plating and dressing

1. On a plate or serving dish that will be placed in the middle of the table for everyone, make the first layer of 7 asparagus and add 5 on top as a second layer

2. Pour the Gribiche sauce on top and add some finely chopped chive over the sauce

Enjoy, bon appétit!