Recipe - Asparagus And Mushroom Sauce With Caramelized Shallots

1 pound Medium asparagus; tough ends
snapped off spears halved
lengthwise then cut
diagonally into 1inch
pieces
One fourth cup Olive oil
4 lg Shallots; thinly cut or sliced up
One half pound Button mushrooms; or cremini
mushrooms brushed clean and
thinly cut or sliced up
Salt
Ground black pepper

1. Bring 1 inch of water to boil in large pot. Put asparagus in steamer
basket, then carefully place steamer basket in pot. Cover and steam over

mediumhigh heat until asparagus is just tender, about 2 minutes. Remove

asparagus and set aside. Reserve 1 cup of the asparagus steaming liquid.

2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots saute,
stirring occasionally to separate rings, until crisp and light brown, about
10 minutes. Add mushrooms, increase heat to mediumhigh, and saut6

until they soften and release their juices, about 5 minutes longer. Season
with 1 teaspoon salt and One half teaspoon pepper or to taste.

3. Add asparagus and reserved cooking liquid. Simmer until asparagus is
heated through and sauce has thickened a bit, about 2 minutes longer.
Adjust seasonings.

Cook's Illustrated, Mar./Apr. 1995, Page 11. Credit: Jack Bishop.

Nationality: Italian Course: pasta sauce Season: spring Methods: steamed,
sauted, boiled, stirred and simmered

Start to Finish 30 minutes Preparation 5 minutes Attention 20 minutes
Finishing a minute or less

NOTES : Enough for 1 pound of pasta. If pencil thin asparagus are
available, they don't need to be halved, but thicker asparagus should be
cut or sliced up in half, and very thick pieces need to be quartered. You may add 1/4
cup Parmesan cheese when you toss the sauce with pasta, preferably
linguine, then offer extra Parmesan at the table.
Recipe by: Cook's Illustrated, Mar./Apr. 1995, Page 11.

Posted to MCRecipe Digest by "Hobbs, D B USO"
hobbs@lbcapo1.uso.unisys.com on Mar 18, 1998