GRILLED ASPARAGUS

WITH HAZELNUT AIOLI

Salad:

2 bunches (about 2 pounds) fat asparagus

Olive oil for brushing asparagus

Salt

Hazelnut Aioli (recipe follows)

Instructions:

1. Wash the asparagus and trim off and discard the bottom 3 inches. Meanwhile, prepare a very hot grill.

2. Lightly brush asparagus with olive oil. Grill for about 1 minute on each side, until the spears have nice grill marks and are just barely tender. Sprinkle with a little salt.

3. Serve hot, warm, or even cold. Drizzle with Hazelnut Aioli or put the aioli in individual dishes for dipping.

Aioli:

Makes 1½ cups

½ cup toasted hazelnuts

¼ teaspoon sugar or honey

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 egg yolks

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup olive oil

¼ cup hazelnut oil

1 tablespoon water

Instructions:

1. In a food processor, place the hazelnuts, sugar, garlic, lemon juice, mustard, egg yolks and salt. Process until smooth.

2. In a measuring cup, mix together the olive and hazelnut oils.

3. With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the oils; the drizzle should be about the width of a spaghetti strand. The mixture will slowly begin to emulsify, forming a mayonnaise-like consistency. (Don’t add the oil too fast, or the mixture will break.)

4. When all the oil has been added, pulse in the water. Store, refrigerated, until ready to use. The aioli can be made up to 3 days in advance.

Recipe courtesy of Kathy Casey Food Studios.

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