Your family will love this fresh flavored purée and won’t guess that it was made from what some consider scraps-the stubs from asparagus stalks and the thick green tops of leeks. And if you hate to throw away tasty, usable food, as I do, you will feel virtuous. The stubs of fresh, tender, skinny asparagus are best for this-don’t even bother if the stubs are dry, white, and woody. Likewise, use only fresh, flexible leek greens here-it’s OK if the leaves are firm and thick but not if they’re wilted, old, or hard as leather.
Recipe information
Yield
for about 2 cups of sauce
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Rinse the asparagus stubs and the leek and scallion tops well. Cut off any wilted or bruised parts. Rap each asparagus stub with a heavy knife handle or a small skillet to crush it a bit and open the inner layers. If a good whack doesn’t mash it, throw that one away!
Step 2
Put the stubs, greens, garlic, and onion in a 2-quart saucepan and pour in 2 cups of water. There should be plenty to cover the vegetables; add more if necessary. Add the oil, salt, and peppercorns and bring the water to a boil. Cover the pot, adjust the heat to maintain a low bubbling boil, and cook for an hour. Lower the heat if the water’s evaporating too fast—the vegetables should cook in water the whole time.
Step 3
Uncover after an hour, and boil off the water almost completely. Before there’s absolutely none left, turn down the heat and stir as the last visible moisture evaporates, but don’t let the soft vegetables stick to the pot or burn.
Step 4
Turn all the vegetables into the food processor and purée them thoroughly, scraping down the sides as necessary. If there are vegetable fibers that haven’t broken down that mar the texture of the sauce (there may not be any), strain through a sieve. Return the sauce to the processor bowl, drop in the parsley and basil, and purée again. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Step 5
Reheat before using; thin with boiling pasta water to a consistency you like. Store for several days in the refrigerator, or freeze for several months in airtight containers.
Good For . . .
Step 6
Dressing and filling ravioli
Step 7
A base to a vegetable risotto
Step 8
A sauce for poached zucchini or asparagus
