Pan-Roasted Asparagus with Burrata & Hazelnut Sauce by Foodie’s Chef Laura Brennan
April 26, 2022
YUM. BURRATA.
Burrata is a soft, mozzarella-like cheese enclosing a pocket of fresh cream that delivers its goodness when sliced open. It takes these simple roasted asparagus to another place.…maybe to a sun-kissed piazza in Apulia? Just slice open the room temperature burrata on top of the still-warm roasted asparagus and the cream filling will spill forth coating the asparagus. Again, YUM. I added an herb sauce with parsley, vinegar, olive oil and toasted hazelnuts. My thinking is as follows: the burrata dresses the asparagus and the herb sauce dresses the burrata. Everybody’s happy.
- Prep: 30 mins
- Cook: 15 mins
- Yields: 4 to 6
Ingredients
1 ½ pounds fresh asparagus
6-8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon finely minced shallots (from 1 walnut-sized shallot)
2 tablespoons mild white wine vinegar, plus more to taste if needed
½ teaspoon fresh garlic, minced to a paste (with the wide flat edge of your knife)
3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
¼ cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped (or substitute toasted almonds or walnuts)
8-ounces burrata cheese (or substitute fresh mozzarella cheese)
Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Bring the burrata out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes. The burrata we sell at Foodies’ (Bel Gioso) is an 8-ounce container containing 2-each, 4-ounce balls of cheese. Trim/snap off the woody ends from the asparagus. Wash and dry the asparagus. Lightly coat the bottom of the sheet pan with a tablespoon of olive oil and add the asparagus to the pan. Drizzle another teaspoon or two of olive oil on the asparagus and roll to coat them evenly. Season with ½ teaspoon of kosher salt. Roll them again to evenly distribute the salt. Set aside and make the herb sauce. Herb Sauce Add the finely minced shallots to a bowl along with the 2 tablespoons of mild white wine vinegar and a pinch of kosher salt. Add the ½ teaspoon of ‘pasted ‘garlic. Stir to combine and let sit ‘to mellow’ for five minutes. Chop the parsley, if you haven’t already, and set it aside. Chop the toasted hazelnuts, measure out 3 tablespoons and set aside. (You can use any leftover chopped hazelnuts to garnish the finished dish.) Add the parsley and hazelnuts to the shallot-garlic-vinegar mixture. Stir to combine. Slowlyd rizzle in 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil, whisking or stirring with a fork. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add some fresh cracked black pepper and a bit more kosher salt to taste. Roast the asparagus for 5-10 minutes. The length of time will depend on the thickness of the
stalks. Roast until just wilted. Pierce with the point of a knife to test for doneness or taste a piece for doneness. To serve Transfer the roasted asparagus to a serving dish/platter. Arrange 1 or 2 whole burrata pieces on top and then cut them in half. The cream filling will begin to ‘spill forth’! Spoon a few
tablespoons of the hazelnut herb sauce on top. Garnish with any extra chopped hazelnuts and serve the extra sauce at the table. Best enjoyed warm.
