Pan-Sauteéd Asparagus
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This is a Neapolitan recipe, drawn from Caròla Francesconi's La Cucina Napoletana (Newton Compton Editori); she in turn got it from Cavalcanti, the great 19th century Neapolitan gastronome. To serve 4 you'll need: INGREDIENTS 4-1/2 pounds asparagus 1/4 pound finely sliced prosciutto Freshly picked mint leaves 1/2 cup unsalted butter or olive oil Salt & freshly ground pepper Wash the asparagus and cook them in bunches, upright in lightly salted boiling water sufficient to reach up to where the stalks shift from white to green, so the bases will be boiled while the tips are steamed. While the asparagus is cooking prepare the remainder: Sauté the prosciutto in the butter or oil with the mint leaves, and when it is cooked keep it warm. When they are cooked (5-8 minutes, or until the tips begin to droop), cut away and discard the white parts, and heat the asparagus through well in the sauce, turning the spears gently to coat them thoroughly.