Asparagus Gratin

The Temporary Vegetarian: Kenmare’s Asparagus Gratin

By ELAINE LOUIE

“Every March, I think about asparagus,” said Joey Campanaro, the 38-year-old executive chef of Kenmare, in SoHo, who loves the vegetable for its versatility. “I make purees with it, I tempura it, I grill it.”

This March, at Kenmare, he introduced asparagus gratin — sliced, peeled asparagus baked until golden and bubbly in a sauce of cream, white wine and cheese.

Once the asparagus come out of the oven, he sprinkles it with a mix of toasted panko and toasted, ground pecans, and then, in a brilliant flourish, he tops it with a salad — a toss of endive and radicchio lightly dressed with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

The dish is cold upon hot. Red and green leaves first flutter above the tender asparagus, which poke up through the sauce. Once the radicchio and endive settle into the sauce, and get hot, “they become more tender, and the bitterness, especially in the radicchio, is alleviated,” Mr. Campanaro said. The dish is as pretty as it is tasty.

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Kenmare’s Asparagus Gratin

Yield 4 servings

Time 1 hour and 10 minutes

Lars Klove for The New York Times

Ingredients

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup dry white wine, such as Chenin Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc
• 1/4 cup crushed pecans
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 bunch fresh spring asparagus, peeled and cut diagonally into 1/2-inch slices, ends discarded
• 1/4 cup grated fontina cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• 2 large endive, trimmed, and cut into diagonal slices, 1-inch wide
• 1/2 small head of radicchio, trimmed, and leaves torn into 1-inch pieces
• Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
• Fresh lemon juice, as needed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Method

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, shallots and wine. Place over medium heat and simmer until reduced by half, 20 to 30 minutes.
• 2. Spread pecans on a baking sheet and bake, stirring once or twice, until toasted, 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, place a skillet over low heat, add panko, and stir until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. When pecans are toasted, remove from oven and set aside to cool.
• 3. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees. When the pecans are cool, place in a blender and chop for a few seconds until coarsely ground. Mix with panko and set aside.
• 4. In a mixing bowl combine asparagus, reduced cream, fontina, and Parmigiano Reggiano. Mix well and place in a gratin dish that is about 10 inches long and 4 inches wide, or an other shallow, ovenproof baking dish. Bake until asparagus are tender, the sauce is bubbling and the top is turning golden, 6 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and top with pecan-bread crumb mixture. In a separate bowl, mix the endive and radicchio with olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Spread over the top of the asparagus gratin. Serve hot.

Miso French Onion Soup

Miso French Onion Soup

Yield 4 servings

Time 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 1/2 pounds large Spanish onions, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
• 8 diagonal slices of baguette, about 1/4 inch thick.
• 1/3 cup miso
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme, optional
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 large slices Swiss cheese

Method

• 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup olive oil, and heat until shimmering. Add the onions and cook, stirring constantly and adjusting heat as needed, until the onions are soft and deep golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove pan from heat and allow onions to cool in the pan.
• 2. Brush both sides of the bread slices with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake, turning once, until just crisp, about 4 minutes a side. Remove from oven and set aside.
• 3. Pour 3 cups of water into a 2 quart saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Add miso, thyme, and cooked onions; mix well. Simmer and season with salt and pepper as needed.
• 4. Preheat a broiler. Place a large oven-proof serving bowl or four small oven-proof bowls on a broiling pan or small baking sheet. Pour the hot soup into the large bowl or divide among the small bowls. Place the croutons on top of the soup, and top with Swiss cheese slices. Place the pan holding the soup directly under the broiler until the cheese is melted, and the soup is bubbling. Serve immediately.

Source: Adapted from John Schenk, Executive Chef, Strip House Restaurants