In late March, asparagus made it’s way back into our kitchen after a long (but honestly not that cruel) winter.
I’m sure you went through the same experience, the one where asparagus started to appear in stores and markets and you jumped for joy, perhaps a little too enthusiastically, because by the time the end of June hits you realized that you’re still in asparagus season but you really rather not be.
I could go on, but what I’m trying to tell you, subtly, is that I’m kind of sick of asparagus.
That being said, asparagus is still showing up in our CSA, and I’m dutifully working on new recipes to consume it. I’ve poached eggs on top of it, I’ve baked it into frittatas, and this time I’m pairing it with some shrimp and a simple sherry vinaigrette.
Simple in it’s technique and preparation, this recipe requires a big pot of salted water to blanch the asparagus and a pan with butter to saute the shrimp. That, plus a small bowl or jar to whisk together the vinaigrette, and you’ll be bringing fork to mouth in under 30 minutes.
I’m not sure if there is more asparagus in my future, but if there is, I’ll be coming back to this recipe. It’s enough to snap me out of my asparagus funk.
- 1 pound asparagus, woody ends trimmed
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 pound raw shrimp, deveined and tails removed
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 1 small shallot, minced
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to boil. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice cubes and water, set aside. Once water is boiling, add asparagus and cook for 4-6 minutes, until asparagus has softened but still maintains its bright green color. Transfer asparagus directly to ice bath to stop cooking.
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in shrimp, add a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook until shrimp is just barely pink. Remove from heat.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, shallot, and mustard. Alternatively, you can use a small jar with a lid and shake it until the dressing emulsifies.
- Place asparagus on a serving platter and top with shrimp. Pour vinaigrette on top and serve immediately.
Hubs is a shrimp fanatic!!! I think he would totally go for this!!! YUM!
writes Girl and the Kitchen