How to make
For this recipe, you can use ready-made white asparagus from a jar/tin, but it must be thicker. If it is difficult to find, you can use fresh asparagus. And here is how to boil the asparagus it for this recipe:
Peel a thin layer of its skin (without the tip) with a fine vegetable peeler. With thicker white asparagus, if you don't peel it, it will remain tough.
Cut off about three fingers or more from the base, that part is also tough. You will feel exactly where to cut or break off after you bend the stalk - it will show where it is brittle and where it is tough.
Place the asparagus upright in boiling water with a spoonful of sugar and a spoonful of salt. The container should be tall and narrow, and the tips should not be covered with water - they will cook from the steam.
Boil for about 10-13 minutes - depending on the thickness of the asparagus. Check with a fork, but don't wait too long for them to soften. Carefully remove them from the water and let them cool.
During this time, make the coriander and avocado emulsion. Since I personally don't like the taste of coriander to be too strong, sometimes I add 50:50 with parsley or I've tried just parsley - it's also great.
Put about 80-100 ml of the water in which you cooked the asparagus in a blender (it should have cooled down first). If you used those from a jar, use the water from the jar.
Add the mayonnaise, sliced avocado (40 to 60 grams), a pinch of salt, garlic, pepper cut into pieces, vinegar and washed green coriander and parsley leaves.
Blend until perfectly smooth, pouring in a thin stream of olive oil to obtain a smooth and fluffy emulsion.
Arrange the asparagus on a platter and the emulsion over them.
Put the clam shells on top. I use soft-shell clam, steamed until they open up. The shells come off easily.
Chop the cherry tomatoes and sprinkle on top for color. I also sprinkled with dried coriander leaves for emphasis, as well as the wonderful Maldon salt.
The recipe calls for a little grated lime peel, but I didn't have any, otherwise it would be even more delicious.
Try this white asparagus with clams and coriander emulsion dish - it's very delicious!
Here are more details about processing and cooking asparagus, as well as what the easiest way to clean asparagus is.
