White Asparagus in Dashi

 White Asparagus in Dashi

 4 Servings | 30-minute Prep Time | 10-minute Cook Time | 1-hour Rest Time

Ingredients

For Dashi:

4 cups Filtered water

¼ piece of Kombu Seaweed

1 ½ Tbsp Bonito flakes (katsuobushi)

1 tsp Soy sauce

2 tsp Mirin

1 Tbsp Duck Fat

For Asparagus and Garnish:

1-1.5 lbs. White Asparagus (one rubber-banded bunch)

Lemon/Yuzu Peels, thinly sliced

1 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Chives

Sesame Oil

Instructions

For Dashi:

Soak kombu in 4 cups of filtered water in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (overnight is preferred).

Over low heat, bring kombu in water to a simmer (about 10 minutes).  Do not let it boil or the flavor will be too strong. Remove kombu from water and add bonito flakes to water. Bring to a boil, then immediately remove from heat, add duck fat and let it melt in from the heat, then let infuse for 7-10 minutes. Strain bonito flakes from dashi. Season with soy sauce and mirin.

For Asparagus and Garnish:

Prep the asparagus by trimming the ends and then peeling the bottom half.

Blanch asparagus for 3-4 minutes in boiling water. Remove from water and then place them in a dish big enough to cover them with the dashi.

Pour dashi over the asparagus, cover, and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

To serve, stack asparagus in the center of dish and then top with the thinly sliced citrus peels and chives. Finish with a drizzle of sesame oil over top.