Asparagus with Lemon Cream Sauce

By Maggie Baird

Lovely early summer recipe to enjoy asparagus, this refreshing sauce adds a bright creamy flavor to the tender stalks!

YIELDS: 4 servings

COOK TIME: 10 min

PREP TIME: 20 min

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INGREDIENTS

  • 1 bunch of Asparagus, washed

Lemon Pepper Cream Sauce

  • 1 cup vegetable stock (1 bouillon cubes w/ 1 cup of water)
  • 1 small yellow potato (1/4 cup cubed)
  • 1/4 onion
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 2 tbsp of cashews
  • 2 tbsp of nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 cup Northern Beans – drained
  • 1/4 cup of lemon juice plus the zest of ½ a lemon
  • Pepper 1/2 tsp or to taste
  • Pinch of Cayenne pepper


RECIPE

  1. For the sauce – in a small pot, boil the potato, 1/4 of a yellow onion, one clove of garlic, 2 tbsp of cashews in the vegetable broth (can be made with water and bouillon) until vegetables are soft, about 10-15 minutes, then remove from heat and let sit to cool.
  2. While the sauce is cooking, soak and rinse the asparagus to remove any dirt from the tips.
  3. Snap off the woody ends; they will break easily at a natural point on each stem. Set aside.
  4. Next, finish the sauce by blending the softened vegetables, nutritional yeast, northern beans, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper in a high-speed blender or with an immersion blender in the pot. Puree until smooth.
  5. Cook the asparagus, choose the method you prefer:
    – To steam the asparagus, place them in a steamer tray or basket with a snug lid for 4-8 minutes.
    – To blanch the asparagus, place them in a pot with boiling water and cook for 3-6 minutes.
  6. You want to cook them until they are bright green and slightly tender, but not too soft.
  7. Take out your asparagus with a fork or tongs, allowing the water to drip off, and put them on your dish.
  8. Top with the sauce, the lemon zest, and extra salt and pepper to taste if desired. Enjoy!

 

CHEF’S NOTES:

  • Extra sauce can be paired with other vegetables, tofu, and/or rice.
  • You can store the extra sauce in the fridge for a few days or freeze it for later.