Adapted from Hannah Glasse's The Art of Cookery, the recipe for this tasty, easy-to-prepare ragout combines asparagus with several other vegetables that were grown at Mount Vernon.
This recipe is a modern adaptation of the 18th-century original. It was created by culinary historian Nancy Carter Crump for the book Dining with the Washingtons.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds asparagus, trimmed and cut into thirds
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 Belgian endives, trimmed and thinly sliced lengthwise
- 1 small head soft-leaf lettuce, such as Bibb or Boston, cored and shredded
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken stock (preferably homemade)
Directions
- Bring about 2 cups water to boil over medium heat. Add the asparagus, reduce the heat, and simmer until the asparaguses are barely tender. Drain thoroughly, cover, and set aside to keep warm.
- In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and endives, cooking for 5 to 7 minutes until they begin to soften. Stir in the lettuce, salt, and pepper, and continue cooking until the vegetables are just tender.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables, and stir to blend well. Gradually add the stock, stirring until it begins to simmer and thickens slightly.
- Add the asparagus, reserving a few of the tips for garnish, and heat until warmed.
- To serve, pour the ragout into a serving dish and garnish with the reserved asparagus tips.