Asperges au Gratin
Spring asparagus baked with classic Sauce Mornay until golden.
Tender asparagus topped with classic Sauce Mornay and browned under the broiler.
Few vegetables announce the arrival of spring as clearly as asparagus.
In France, the first asparagus of the season is treated with a kind of quiet respect. It may be served simply with vinaigrette, with hollandaise, or—perhaps most comforting of all—under a light blanket of cheese sauce and browned in the oven.
That preparation is known as Asperges au Gratin. It is a dish that turns one of spring’s simplest vegetables into something warm, rich, and deeply satisfying.
Few vegetables announce the arrival of spring as clearly as asparagus.
In France, the first asparagus of the season is treated with a kind of quiet respect. It may be served simply with vinaigrette, with hollandaise, or—perhaps most comforting of all—under a light blanket of cheese sauce and browned in the oven.
That preparation is known as Asperges au Gratin. It is a dish that turns one of spring’s simplest vegetables into something warm, rich, and deeply satisfying.
The Importance of Asparagus in Spring
In France, asparagus is one of the vegetables most closely associated with spring markets.
Traditionally, cooks tie the stalks into bundles and simmer them in salted water until tender. The thick white varieties grown in many parts of France are especially prized, but green asparagus—more common in the United States—works beautifully in the same preparations.
Because asparagus has a slightly earthy bitterness, it pairs especially well with rich sauces such as butter, hollandaise, or Mornay.
What This Dish Is Like
When it comes out of the oven, the top of the dish is lightly browned and bubbling. The asparagus underneath remains tender, while the sauce becomes creamy and slightly nutty from the melted cheese.
Served alongside roast chicken or lamb, it feels like the kind of dish that belongs naturally to a spring table.
Why French Cooks Make It This Way
Gratin dishes are common in French cooking because they combine two pleasures at once:
- the creaminess of a sauce
- the texture of a browned surface
The technique is simple but effective. A sauce is added to the dish, then the surface is exposed to high heat so that the cheese and butter caramelize slightly.
That golden crust is what defines a gratin.
Asperges au Gratin
Ingredients
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 1 cup sauce Mornay
- Parmesan or Gruyère cheese grated
- melted butter
Instructions
- Prepare and cook the asparagus in salted water until tender.
- Drain well.
- Arrange the asparagus in the same direction in a shallow heatproof dish.
- Spread about 1 cup of Sauce Mornay over the asparagus.
- Sprinkle lightly with grated Parmesan or Gruyère cheese.
- Drizzle with a small amount of melted butter.
- Place under a hot broiler until the top is lightly browned and bubbling.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Cook’s Notes
Green asparagus works perfectly in this dish. If the stalks are thick, peel the lower portion before cooking.From the French Kitchen
The word gratin refers to the browned crust that forms when a dish is finished in the oven or under a broiler.
In many French homes, gratins are less about heavy ingredients than about creating that contrast between creamy interior and golden surface.
French cooking often looks elaborate from the outside, but dishes like this reveal a simpler truth.
Sometimes all it takes is a good vegetable, a little sauce, and a hot oven.
