Asparagus Mimosa, A Classic French Recipe

Spring has officially sprung and with it the gorgeous green veggies. My favourite asparagus is everywhere in the shops just now. At last I can make Asparagus Mimosa. A spring time treat that will make your heart sing and put winter well behind you for another wee while.

What’s to love about this simple asparagus recipe

• This is a super quick and easy simple recipe, it all comes together in less than 10 minutes!
• Come on guys, asparagus mimosa is springtime on a plate!
• This makes an elegant starter/appetizer for two people of a deliciously indulgent lunch just for one.
• Healthy eating, need I say more…..

The sun is shining here on Walton’s Mountain, admittedly not all the time but the weather is improving and with it a sense of well-being and hope. I love spring, the colours, the scents, that delicate warmth to the skin that has been missed so much over the long hard winter.

And feel I can breathe again, feel my mood lifting and can clear my mind of mental clutter that seems to build up when you are holed up in the house bemoaning the cold, wind and rain all the time.

What is asparagus mimosa?

This is a classic French dish of asparagus served with a light vinegrette dressing and hard-boiled eggs. In fact the word ‘mimose’ just means ‘with hard-boiled eggs’ in French cooking.

Asparagus

One of the gorgeous greens that is so prolific just now is asparagus. Perfectly formed fresh and crunchy British asparagus is a joy to behold.

It makes the stuff you get in the supermarket the rest of the year just pale into insignificance, it is a mere imposter, a pretender to the throne of veggie greatness.

Asparagus holds a lot of flavour. It can therefore stand up on it’s own without too much faffing about with fancy techniques and too many other ingredients.

Preparing asparagus

I always cut the bottom off my asparagus, even the thin stalks, as the base is tough and woody.

It can be prepared is so many ways but sometimes I think keeping it simple is the best course of action. A few ingredients, minimal cooking and let those flavours sing.

Do you have to peel asparagus?

You only have to peel the bottom part of very thick asparagus spears. Again, this is because the base of asparagus can be tough and woody.

Ingredients for asparagus mimosa

Many recipes for asparagus mimosa have the asparagus as the only veggie ingredient and either steam or boil it.

I like to add a few thin slices of onion and gently saute the asparagus and onion in a little butter and olive oil.  While maybe not as healthy as steaming etc this does add a wonderful richness and more flavour to the dish.

Hard boiled eggs are a crucial part of this recipe. Simply boiled and chopped into small pieces to be scattered over the cooked asparagus.

Lemon juice and Dijon mustard ramp up the flavours and add more delightful Frenchness (is that even a word?) to this delicious recipe.

Another difference with my asparagus mimosa is that I like to serve it slightly warm and not fully chilled as in most recipes.

Asparagus buying tips

When you are buying asparagus look for a strong green colour and firm stalks. Try to avoid those really thick chunky spears with woody stems, you want nice slim young asparagus that is packed with sweetness and flavour. All you need to do to prepare it is to trim off any toughness at the base.

When it comes to eggs always try to go for free range organic. Honestly you will taste the difference and your body will benefit in the long run.

How to make asparagus mimosa

Trim ends off the asparagus and gentle saute along with the thinly sliced onion in the butter and olive oil for about 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and place on a serving platter.

Finely chop the hard-boiled egg and mix in a small bowl along with the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and seasoning.

Spoon the dressing over the asparagus and serve immediatey

This is spring time dish that is just perfect for lunch, especially if you can sit in a sunny kitchen and look out at all that spring goodness and colour.

Looking for more delicious springtime recipe to try? Then check these out before you go;

Chilled cream of asparagus soup

Ham and asparagus pizza bianca with brie and honey

Easy chicken and asparagus risotto

Pickled asparagus in oil

Salmon, broccolini and asparagus traybake

Quick and easy asparagus and quinoa risotto

Spring time asparagus with tasty dips

Asparagus with almonds and feta cheese

Finally, if you do try this recipe don’t forget to leave a comment/star rating below as I just love to hear from readers. Want more Larder Love? Then follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter and sign up for my newsletter too of course.