Lemony Mashed Potatoes With Asparagus, Almonds and Mint
Sautéing asparagus in butter and oil, rather than boiling it in water, locks much of the flavor inside. The asparagus could be served without the lemony mashed potatoes, or the other way around, but together they make a glorious side dish to roasted chicken, fish or spring lamb. Alternatively, adding a poached egg or two to each plate will turn this into a substantial vegetarian meal.
- Total:
- Serves: 6 persons
Ingredients
- 1lemon, preferably organic, scrubbed
- About 15 mint sprigs/40 grams plus 1/4 cup/5 grams lightly packed shredded mint leaves
- 5garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 ½pounds/700 grams large potatoes (such as Yukon Gold or Désirée), peeled and cut into 1-inch/3-centimeter chunks
- 3tablespoons/50 grams unsalted butter
- ⅓cup/75 milliliters whole milk
- Heaping 1/3 cup/90 grams sour cream (soured cream)
- Salt and black pepper
- 2 ½tablespoons/40 grams unsalted butter
- 3tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ¾pounds/800 grams asparagus, woody ends trimmed off
- 6anchovy fillets, finely sliced
- 3garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- ½cup/50 grams sliced (flaked) almonds, lightly toasted
- 1 ½teaspoons dried mint
Instructions
Step 1
Using a peeler, remove the yellow zest from the lemon in large strips. Cut the peeled lemon into six wedges and reserve for serving.Step 2
Fill a medium saucepan with salted water, add the lemon zest, mint sprigs and garlic, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add potatoes and boil for 15 minutes, or until cooked through.Step 3
Drain well. Return potatoes, lemon zest and garlic to the pan, discarding the mint sprigs. Add butter, milk, sour cream (soured cream) and 3/4 teaspoon salt and mash until smooth and creamy. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside until ready to serve.Step 4
Meanwhile, cook the asparagus: In a large skillet, melt the butter and oil over medium-high heat until foaming. Add asparagus and cook, turning frequently, until cooked through but retaining a slight bite, 5 to 8 minutes, depending on thickness. Turn off the heat and use tongs to transfer asparagus to a plate. Add the anchovy, garlic and a pinch of salt to the pan, return to medium heat, and stir continuously until the garlic is starting to turn gold, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in almonds and dried mint, and immediately spoon the mixture into a bowl to stop the cooking.Step 5
Divide potatoes on serving plates. Top with the asparagus and spoon the buttered almond mixture over the top. Serve at once with a sprinkle of fresh mint and the lemon wedges alongside.