This summer, try using fresh ingredients straight from your garden to create unique dishes for your family and friends.
Quince at the Homestead (1625 Hinman Ave., Evanston) is doing just that. They use the freshest ingredients, including herbs picked right from a rooftop garden above the restaurant.
One beautiful seasonal dish is the Roasted Asparagus Salad. Executive Chef Andy Motto demonstrates how this creation comes to life, and how you can make it at home.
Quince’s Asparagus Salad with Egg Sauce and Cherry Jam
Serves 4
Roasted Asparagus Spears
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 12 large spears green asparagus
- 1/2 cup vegetable stock
- Salt
Directions:
1. Start a large sauté pan over high heat. Once heated, add canola oil. Add asparagus and sauté over heat for about 4 minutes, until a nice color has been achieved.
2. Add vegetable stock, and cook evaporated. Asparagus should be cooked, but not mushy. Season to taste. Remove spears from pan, and transfer to the refrigerator.
Grilled Asparagus Tips
- 12 spears green or purple asparagus, 1 1/2-inch tips only (reserve stalks for shaved asparagus below)
- 1 teaspoon canola oil
- Salt and pepper
Directions:
1. Preheat grill, and toss asparagus in oil. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Place on the grill and cook, turning often, to create a slightly charred, grilled asparagus. Remove from grill and cool.
Cherry Jam
- 1 cup pitted cherries
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cherry juice
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- Salt to taste
Directions:
1. Add all ingredients to a pot. Cook down until syrupy and fruit has begun breaking down.
2. Cool; store in covered jar in refrigerator.
Egg Yolk Sauce
- 10 hard-boiled egg yolks (reserve whites for another use)
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt
Directions:
1. Place everything in a blender and blend on high until smooth. This should very much resemble a hollandaise.
Shaved Asparagus Ribbons
- Asparagus bottoms left over from grilled tips
Directions:
1. Take a vegetable peeler and peel the asparagus. You are trying to get full pieces that look like ribbons.
2. Reserve in ice water until ready to use.
Lemon Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Directions:
1. Meanwhile, take the rest of the ingredients, and whisk together for the dressing.
To serve:
- 1/4 pound cooked guanciale (or any other cured meats i.e. Bacon, pancetta)
- 1 cup arugula leaves
- 1 cup fresh ricotta
Directions:
1. Place Egg Yolk Sauce sauce down on the plate.
2. Toss the roasted asparagus spears, the grilled tips and the ribbons in the Lemon Vinaigrette, along with the guanciale or bacon, and season with salt and black pepper (be careful on seasoning, guanciale is heavily seasoned).
3. Gently arrange over egg sauce, and garnish with dollops of ricotta and cherry jam, and sprinkle with arugula leaves.
