A week ago I had lunch with some friends at Bar Pitti, one of my all-time-favorite restaurants in New York City. It was hot, so we sat outside and ordered the cold special of the day: vitello asparagi, a thin slice of braised veal leg served at room temperature under a thick blanket of bright green, chilled asparagus sauce. The sauce was so delicious--rich and creamy yet light and not at all cloying, it tasted strongly of fresh asparagus without an overpowering vegetable flavor--we lapped up every last bit, and I had fantasies of eating it with a spoon. What was the secret? We guessed heavy cream or butter. The proprietor assured me it was nothing so nefarious; asparagus, olive oil, mustard, and salt were the sole ingredients, he promised. I've since made it several times and can assure you not only that this is true, but also that the sauce is equally delicious on grilled or baked fish. It's also ridiculously easy to prepare and would lend itself brilliantly to soup. See the recipe after the jump.
2. Scoop out about a half cup of the cooking liquid, then drain the asparagus, rinse it under cold water, and chop into 1- to 2-inch pieces.
3. In a standing blender, add the asparagus with about a half cup of the cooking liquid, a heaping teaspoon of Dijon mustard (use the nongrainy type, as you want a velvety-smooth texture), about a quarter cup of olive, and salt to taste.
4. Blend until smooth, adding more cooking liquid and/or olive oil until the consistency is as thin or as thick as you like, and more salt or mustard to taste.
5. For soup, just increase the amount of cooking liquid.
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