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Aspargus en Fete
 
From Tom Woteki
I adapted this recipe from Jacques Pépin’s “Jacques Pépin’s Table” for a buffet presentation. I was inspired to try it after reading a review of his new autobiography “The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen.” Besides featuring Asparagus, the presentation is colorful and beautiful.
To serve 4, or scale up the recipe for a buffet presentation as described below.
Obtain:
• 1-1/2 lbs. Asparagus.
• Pencil or pinky diameter spears will work best for this presentation.
• 1/4 C parsley
• 1/2 – 3/4 C homemade Lemon-Dijon vinaigrette or to taste
• 24 black olives such as Nicoise or oil cured, pitted and chopped
• 2 T capers
• 1 ripe tomato, seeded and coarsely chopped
Proceed:
• 1. Steam or boil the asparagus until just tender to the bite. Refresh under cold water to set color and stop cooking.
• 2. Select 16 spears and cut to uniform length, say 5-6 inches. Slit the spears lengthwise starting at the stem end to within 1/4 inch of the tip.
• 3. Chop the remaining spears and any trimmings from the 16 into 1-inch pieces.
• 4. Mix the asparagus pieces, olives, capers, tomatoes and parsley and dress with the vinaigrette. Reserve some of the vinaigrette to garnish salad plates as follows.
• 5. Using 4 spears per salad plate, arrange split spears with their tips pointing out on the perimeter of the plate. Spread their stems so that the whole arrangement forms a frame with the split spears forming the border of the frame.
• 6. Mound equal parts of the asparagus salad within each of the 4 frames. Dress the perimeter of the plate and the asparagus tips with some of the vinaigrette to make a beautiful and colorful presentation.
Buffet presentation
• This recipe easily scales and adapts to a buffet presentation. Instead of 4 spears per individual plate use some number of spears, say 8 to 12 or more, to form a starburst-patterned frame around the perimeter of a large serving dish. Mound the asparagus salad in the center of the dish and garnish as above.