Thomas Jefferson had a square in his Monticello garden reserved for asparagus; it was one of the few vegetables for which he documented a cultivation technique (the plants were mulched with tobacco leaves). Jefferson recorded its seasonal arrival at his Monticello table 22 times, usually in early April. The Monticello kitchen blended Southern Virginian cooking styles with Continental cuisine and reflected the African cooking influences of his enslaved staff. https://www.pbs.org/food/recipes/marinated-asparagus
6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs trimmed asparagus
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- ½ cup olive oil
- Pinch of fresh thyme
- Pinch of chopped fresh parsley
- 1 egg hard cooked and chopped
- ½ small red onion, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fine capers, drained
Directions
- Wash the asparagus and trim the tough ends of the stalks. In a large saucepan, bring 2 quarts of lightly salted
water to a boil over high heat. Place the asparagus in the water and cook until just tender, 2-3 minutes. - Drain asparagus. Add enough cold water to cover the asparagus. Let stand about 5 minutes, until the asparagus
is cool. - Drain again and pat the asparagus dry with paper towels. In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together the
vinegar, oil, thyme, parsley, egg, onion, and capers, and salt and pepper to taste. - Place the asparagus on a serving platter. Pour the vinaigrette evenly over the asparagus. Let the asparagus
marinate in the dressing for a few minutes (optional). Garnish with additional chopped egg and parsley, if
desired. Serve at room temperature.