Asparagus Almondine

Almondine is the French technique of finishing vegetables with a browned butter and almond sauce, and this version gets it done in the microwave in under 5 minutes. Chopped almonds and butter go into a bowl, heat for 90 seconds until the almonds are lightly toasted and the butter is foamy, then tarragon vinegar stirs in to finish.

Tarragon vinegar separates this from a plain butter sauce. It adds an herbaceous, faintly anise-like tang that works particularly well with asparagus. If you don’t have tarragon vinegar, white wine vinegar with a pinch of dried tarragon is a workable substitute.

The sauce can go over asparagus hot from the steamer or from the refrigerator. Both work, making this flexible for planned dinners and leftovers alike.

Kitchen Tips

• Watch after the first minute; butter and nuts can go from toasted to burnt quickly in a microwave
• Stir the butter and nuts halfway through if your microwave runs on the hotter side
• Pour the sauce while still warm for the best coverage; it thickens as it cools
• Use finely chopped almonds for the best texture, not sliced or slivered

Variations

• Lemon: Replace the tarragon vinegar with fresh lemon juice for a more classic French almondine preparation
• Hazelnut: Swap chopped hazelnuts for almonds for a richer, more intensely nutty sauce