Quick-braised asparagus and lettuce (yes, really)
We know you’re astute so you’ll have noticed a bit of a theme around here lately; namely that at LSC, we’re in complete Christmas denial. We’re unprepared for the tinsel, drunken work parties and Mariah C on a constant loop everywhere we. freaking. go. Does she need to be so darned everywhere?
So guess what we’ve done so far to prepare for Christmas? Not bloody enough, that’s what. All our good intentions of fashioning a proper fruit cake and some suet-laden mince for pies flew out the window a while back. Maybe next year we’ll get our A’s into G in October like we should. Consequently, we’ve been casting about frantically for festive recipes that don’t involve ridiculous prep, costly, esoteric ingredients (looking at you, amarena cherries!), or oven-baking for hours and hours and more endless, mind-numbing hours. Things suitable to give – or not, as the mood strikes. Enter chocolate salami! In the same vein as good old fashioned fudge cake, this is one of those unbaked creations based on crushed commercial biscuits that even a child could make. You (or ‘they’, if you press gang your kitchen labour like we do) essentially mix, melt, bang the thing into a log, wrap it tightly, then sling it in the fridge. Tying it up with kitchen string in butcher’s knots and dusting/rubbing the surface with icing sugar when it’s firm are added refinements and do, amazingly, make a pretty good approximation of a real-deal porky salami. But these are wholly optional touches so don’t feel pressure. Because who needs any more of THAT when Mariah’s already sending hypertension everywhere north.
SERVES 4
60ml (¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, cut into thin wedges
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 strips lemon zest, white pith removed
2 sprigs thyme or 1 fresh bayleaf
2 bunches asparagus, trimmed and halved widthwise
80ml (⅓ cup) white wine
250ml (1 cup) chicken stock
2 small cos lettuce, trimmed, tough outer leaves removed
1 lemon, halved widthwise
creme fraiche, to serve (optional)
Heat 3 tbsp of the olive oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion then cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes or until it softens and starts to brown. Add the garlic, lemon zest and thyme and cook for another minute or until the garlic starts to soften. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the asparagus, wine and chicken stock, bring to the boil, then cover the pan and cook for 2 minutes or until the asparagus is about half cooked. Meanwhile, cut the lettuce lengthways into thick wedges (about 3 per half), then add to the pan, cramming it in to fit if necessary. Cover the pan, then cook for about 3 minutes or until the lettuce is softened and the asparagus is tender.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat, add the lemon, cut side down, and cook for 3 minutes or until lightly charred. Season the braise with salt and pepper, transfer to a serving dish, then serve with the charred lemons for squeezing over and creme fraiche for spooning over, to taste.
