Asparagus with Beurre Blanc Bread Crumbs
Recipe and photo by Kris Matthewson
One bunch white or green asparagus (the white just looks nicer for this dish)
Chives, to taste
1 egg
6 tablespoons butter
6 ounces white wine (this is the acid for the dish so use a high acid white like a Finger Lake Dry Riesling)
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
Salt, to taste
White or black pepper, to taste
Shaved Parmesan cheese, to taste
Drizzle of olive oil
Peal the asparagus and break of the firm bottom third of the stalks. Then chop your chives into half inch pieces. Bring enough water to cover your egg to a boil. Once the water is at a full boil gently boil your egg for 6 minutes exactly–this will give you a cooked white and runny yolk. At the end of 6 minutes take your egg out and place it in a bowl of cold/ice water.
Take your pealed asparagus and place it in a pan over high heat with enough with water to cover. Once the water comes to a boil take the asparagus out and set aside then dump your water out. Now place about 2 tablespoons of butter in the pan and give the asparagus a quick sauté with the goal of gaining little to no color.
To make the Beurre Blanc Bread Crumbs, take the same pan you just used for the asparagus and add the white wine, keeping the heat at medium-high. Reduce the wine down to about 2 0unces. At this point add the remaining butter and whisk to create emulsion. Then add the breadcrumbs and mix continuously over medium-high heat until you have a gold color to the breadcrumbs. The bead crumbs should first absorb the white wine and butter mixture and then gain some gold color.
To assemble, add the asparagus to the Beurre Blanc Bread Crumbs in the pan. The butter on the asparagus should help the crumbs stick. Place several asparagus on a plate, sprinkle some of the chopped chives on the asparagus and finally place the egg on top. Finish with some salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.
For another recipe by Bellwether winemaker Kris Matthewson, click here!
