Asparagus with Orange Sauce

Not only is this Asparagus with Orange Sauce easy to make it only takes 15 minutes. The heat of fresh-cooked asparagus brings out the orange flavor in the sauce, so be sure to spoon the sauce over the stalks while they are piping hot. Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 lb fresh thin asparagus
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 orange, zest 1/2 of the orange 🍊  then cut it in half squeeze juice from the 1/2 you zest and slice wedges from the 1/2 you didn’t zest.
Salt and pepper, to taste

White Roux:
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup heavy cream

White Roux Directions:
In a saucepan on medium/high heat combine the flour and butter until you form a paste. Add in the cream a little at a time with a flat whisk until blended and smooth.

Asparagus Directions:

In a large saucepan heat salted water to boil. Bend each asparagus until it snaps then peel and 1” of the bottom with a vegetable peeler. Add asparagus to boiling water and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold running water. Transfer to a paper towel.

In a skillet combine the butter, peanut oil and orange juice; when butter foams season with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove 1/2 of the orange juice mixture. Prepare a white roux and add 1/2 of the orange juice mixture. To serve: Heat the asparagus in the skillet and toss with the remaining orange juice mixture. Transfer to a serving plate, top with the roux orange juice mixture (as pictured) and sprinkle on the orange zest. Garnish with orange wedges. Yum Yum!

Note: I added the white roux which increased the ingredients to 9 and 10 minutes to cooking time. You don’t have to, you can just heat the asparagus in the skillet and toss with the orange juice mixture. Serve with orange wedges and sprinkle zest on top. 

If you want to get really fancy make a Maltaise: Blood orange juice blended with hollandaise sauce

You need a flat whisk because it’s the best for getting out lumps in your roux.