Asparagus with Orange-Pecan Pesto

Adapted fromt he new Mario Battali cookbook, and it is stupendous. Salt 2 pounds medium asparagus, thick bottom ends snapped off 2 oranges, preferably nice and juicy 1/2 cup chopped pecans 3 garlic cloves 2 Tb sugar 1 cup plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 cup plus 2 Tb freshly grated Pecorino Romano Directions: Bring 8 quarts of water to boil a large pasta pot. Set a large ice bath nearby. When water comes to a boil, add 2 Tb salt. Add the asparagus to the boiling water and cook until just softened, 1 minute. Using tongs, transfer the asparagus to the ice bath. When it has cooled, drain and set aside. (This stops the cooking process and keeps them bright green) Juice one of the oranges, removing any seeds, and set the juice aside for later. Chop what is left of the juiced orange — pith, rind interior fruit and all — along with the remaining orange, (again removing pits) and place the chopped orange in the bowl of a food processor. Add the walnuts, garlic, sugar, 1 cup of the olive oil, and 1/4 cup of the romano to the processor, and blend until smooth. Transfer the pesto to a bowl, and season it with salt and pepper to taste. If it’s too thick, add up to 1/4 cup of the reserved juice to loosen it up. (This pesto will last up to one week in the fridge if you cover the surface with a layer of oil.) To make the citronette, place the reserved orange juice and the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil in a small bowl, and whisk to form a thin emulsion. Arrange the cooked asparagus on a serving platter, and spoon the walnut-orange pesto over the stems. Drizzle the orange citronette over all. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 Tb pecorino and serve.