(2692). Boiled Asparagus With Hollandaise, Hollandaise Mousseline Or Vinaigrette Sauce (Asperges Bouillies A La Sauce Hollandaise A La Sauce Hollandaise Mousseline)

Have the asparagus freshly picked, if practicable; trim the tops, and scrape or peel the stalks; then pare them into equal lengths, and tie them in small bunches, separating the larger ones from the smaller. Fasten them well with string. Boil the asparagus in plenty of salted water in an untinned copper basin, plunging them into the liquid; cover the vessel and let cook slowly. As soon as they are done drain them on a sieve, and afterward untie the bunches on a cloth and dress them symmetrically in a pyramid on a folded napkin: carefully reserve the handsomest ones for the top. Send to the table at the same time a good Hollandaise sauce (No. 477), or else a vinaigrette sauce.

Vinaigrette

Put into a vessel six hard-boiled egg-yolks rubbed through a sieve, smooth nicely while beating with a spoon, and incorporate slowly two gills of good oil, two spoonfuls of cold veloute sauce (No. 415), a little vinegar, mustard, pepper, chopped parsley or chervil. Serve this sauce the same time as the asparagus, or else serve them with a Hollandaise mousseline sauce (No. 477).

(2693). Asparagus, Countess Style - Heads (Tetes D'Asperges A La Comtessel)

Scrape some green asparagus, cut them, leaving the tops two and a half inches long, and tie these into small bunches: cook in salted water, and when done cut off the strings and dress them in a pyramid; garnish around with bouchees filled with asparagus tops and mushrooms as follows:

After the asparagus is cut off for the above break the remaining tender parts of the stalks, and cut them into quarter of an inch thick pieces; cook in salted water, and drain: put these into a saucepan with as much cooked mushrooms cut into quarter-inch squares, and dilute with good buttered vcloute (No. 415); season properly, and till very hot bouchees (No. 11) with it. Serve a veloute sauce apart, having it thickened at the last moment with egg-yolks, cream, a liberal piece of fresh butter and lemon juice.

(2694). Asparagus In Small Bunches - Heads (Tetes D'Asperges En Petites Bottes)

Scrape the stalks of some medium-sized asparagus; cut them from the top end into two and a half inch lengths, and with these form small bunches, holding them together by two rings cut from a carrot about two inches in diameter; cook them in sailed water. Use these small bunches for garnishing hot or cold removes, pouring a little Hollandaise sauce (No. 477) over, or else a vinaigrette sauce (No. 634), both to be well seasoned.

(2695). Asparagus Tops A La Maintenon (Pointes D'Asperges A La Maintenon)

Have all the asparagus of the same size, not too slender: break off the stalks at the beginning of the tender part; strip off the heads, and cut the tender part into inch lengths; put the heads aside to cook separately. Plunge the lengths into boiling salted water placed in an unturned copper pan; boil quickly, keeping them slightly hard, then wipe on a cloth, and put them into a thin sautoir with melted butter; season, heat rapidly while tossing, then remove. The asparagus can now be laid in a little veloutc' ( No. 415) and chicken puree (No. 713). Serve the asparagus in a vegetable dish, surrounded with croutons of bread shaped like a cock's-comb, and fried in butter, just when prepared to dish up.

(2696). Asparagus Tops Fried A La Miranda (Pointes D'Asperges Frites A La Miranda)

Bend and break off the tender part of the asparagus into one inch lengths; blanch them well in salted water; drain and dip in line cracker dust, then in beaten egg, and finally in bread-crumbs; fry, drain, salt, and dress on a folded napkin, laying a bunch of fried green parsley on top. Serve apart a sauce made with one hard-boiled egg-yolk mingled with one raw yolk, mustard, salt and pepper; beat vigorously, stirring in a little olive oil and tarragon vinegar.

(2697). Asparagus Tops With Cheese (Pointes D'Asperges Au Fromage)

Scrape some medium-sized asparagus; cut them into quarter of an inch lengths, cook in salted water, keeping them slightly hard, drain and put them into a sautoir with butter, and toss for a few moments over the fire to evaporate all the moisture. Drain off the butter, season and dress on a vegetable dish; cover the surface with freshly kneaded butter, into which mix as much grated parmesan as the butter can absorb; salt, if found necessary, adding a little cayenne pepper; push into a hot oven, and serve as soon as it browns.