Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/599676
Chef Dustin Valette is rightfully proud of his tasty asparagus appe- tizer. And he can serve it all season long. The entire asparagus bed at Laguna Farms will be cut down section by section to promote new spear produc- tion throughout the growing season. Chef Dustin Valette begins his roasted marinated asparagus appetizer by peeling the tough skin from the bottom of the spears. Dustin Valette, owner and Executive Chef at his eponymous restaurant in Healdsburg, California, dreams up exciting ways to enhance the flavor of vegetables. Here's one of his dreams come true, using asparagus: "I like to take jumbo spears," he says, "and peel them, then give them a 12-hour dry cure with orange, grapefruit, lime, and lemon zests mixed with sugar and salt. The cure intensifies the flavor and reduces any bitterness. Then I roast them in a 400 degrees Fahrenheit oven for nine minutes, which caramel- izes them and works up the umami. They're served with a savory buttermilk brioche." He uses slender spears in some dishes, but likes them best when they're large and at their most tender. f a l l / w i n t e r 2 0 1 5 | 7