Prep: 40 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Difficulty: Easy
Serves: 4
Ingredients
200g clarified butter (butter from which all the milk solids have been removed)
50g plain flour
3 eggs, beaten
200g brioche, blitzed into crumbs
16 medium English asparagus spears, bottom of stem peeled
Parmesan, grated, to serve
For The Black Olive Mayonnaise
100g stoned black olives (75g whole, 25g chopped)
2 egg yolks
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 salted anchovy
250ml light olive oil
squeeze lemon juice
pinch cayenne pepper
Method
- First, make the mayonnaise. In a food processor, add the whole olives, egg yolks, vinegar, mustard and anchovy, and blend until you have a smooth paste.
- Slowly add the oil until it becomes thick and glossy. To finish, stir through the chopped olives, lemon juice and cayenne pepper.
- Next, in a pan over a low heat, warm the clarified butter until it melts.
- Put the flour, beaten eggs and brioche crumbs into three separate bowls.
- Dip the asparagus stem into the flour, leaving the tip uncovered, then dip it into the beaten egg and finally into the brioche crumbs.
- Repeat for each spear.
- Turn up the heat until the melted butter is hot. Add four spears of asparagus and fry for 1 min or so – it will cook quickly.
- Use a slotted spoon to lift them onto a plate lined with kitchen paper.
- Repeat with the remaining spears.
- After each batch comes out of the butter, grate over the Parmesan. Serve with the mayo.
Recipe from Good Food magazine, May 2016
Image from: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/butter-fried-asparagus-black-olive-lemon-mayonnaise
