Lemon Squeeze Play

French-Style Asparagus with Lemon Butter Sauce

20 minutes

Serves 4

SideFrench

Herb's take

Inspired by the elegance of classic French bistro sides, this recipe transforms humble asparagus into something worthy of a table set with linen. Along the way, you'll learn the beauty of beurre citronné, fancy speak for lemon butter sauce.

Ingredients

Yield

1 pound asparagus, trimmed
1 whole lemon, zested and juiced
4 tablespoons (unsalted preferred) butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Instructions

01
Fill a large skillet with about 1 inch of water and bring to a boil. Add a big pinch of salt. Add the asparagus and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until just tender and bright green. Drain and set aside.
Herb says
Shocking the asparagus in cold water after boiling will lock in that color, but it's not strictly necessary. French kitchens love a little imperfection.
02
Pat the asparagus dry, then arrange on a serving platter.
03
Wipe out the skillet and set it over medium-low heat. Add the butter and olive oil. When the butter melts, swirl to combine.
04
Add the lemon zest and cook for about 30 seconds to infuse the butter.
Herb says
Gentle heat is key here, scorched zest tastes like regret.
05
Stir in the lemon juice and sugar, whisking to blend. Season with a couple pinches of salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
06
Pour the hot lemon butter sauce evenly over the asparagus.
07
Serve immediately, spooning any extra sauce over the top.
Herb says
The sauce will thicken as it cools, so don’t dawdle, French sides wait for no one.

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