TEAMED ASPARAGUS SPEARS with Black Pepper Pesto Vinaigrette
The sweet, vernal flavor of asparagus is so perfect that the simplest accompaniments are the most welcome ones.
Serves 4 to 6
BLACK PEPPER PESTO
1 large clove garlic '/2 cup toasted pine nuts lh cup -washed parsley leaves
VINAIGRETTE
1 cup extra virgin olive oil V4 cup red wine vinegar % cup black pepper pesto
24 tiny asparagus spears, blanched or steamed until just cooked, then cooled and dried
V2 cup washed Italian parsley leaves 1V2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
% cup virgin olive oil 1. Put all of the pesto ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor and pulse a few times. Now, with the machine running, slowly pour in the oil. The pesto should be slightly coarse. Adjust seasoning to taste.
2. Mix all of the vinaigrette ingredients together and chill, covered.
3. Arrange 6 spears of asparagus on each of 4 chilled plates.
4. Whisk the pesto-infused vinaigrette and spoon a small amount on the center portion of the spears.
CHIOTE-MARINATED SKEWERED QUAIL with Torn Greens and Papaya-Chile Vinaigrette
Achiote is a seed from certain trees indigenous to South and Central America and the West Indies. It is also known as annatto seed. The seeds impart a pungent flavor but not a spicy one and they cause a dramatic color transformation that will lend a brilliant orangey red cast to the quail.
Serves 4
1 cup virgin olive oil Salt and pepper to taste
'A cup achiote (or annatto) seeds 4 handfuls fresh greens, washed, dried,
8 tiny semiboneless quail and torn into small pieces
VINAIGRETTE
1 poblano chile, seeds and skin removed, 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
diced small 'A cup Champagne vinegar
1 small ripe papaya, seeds and skin removed, diced small
1. Heat the 1 cup virgin olive oil in a small saucepan until quite warm. Stir in the achiote seeds and remove from the heat. Allow to cool.
2. Put the raw quail in a medium-large bowl and season with salt and pepper. When the olive oil is cool, pour it through a fine strainer and put the seeds in a cheesecloth. Tie the cloth securely shut and add it to the oil. Now pour the oil over the quail and add the seed bag to the bowl. Allow quail to marinate between 1 and 3 hours, refrigerated.
(recipe continues)
3. Fire up the grill or broiler to high heat.
4. Make the vinaigrette: Mix together half of the poblano and half the papaya with the extra virgin olive oil and Champagne vinegar. Set aside.
5. Soak 16 small, wooden skewers in water (this prevents them from burning up). Now thread two skewers crosswise in an X through each quail and lay birds in a flat pan. Discard the marinade.
6. Grill the quails, turning them from time to time. They should be crisp and juicy. Remove them to a warm platter when they are done.
7. Put the prepared greens in a bowl and toss with enough vinaigrette to barely coat them. Mound the greens on 4 plates. Arrange the quail attractively in front of the greens. Drizzle any collected drippings the quail may have rendered onto the plates. Garnish the plates with the remaining diced papaya and poblano chile. Serve.