Asparagus With Anchovies and Capers

By Martha Rose Shulman

Updated August 11, 2024

  • Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
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Total Time
About 1 hour
Rating
4(242)
Comments
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This is a common springtime dish in Italy and in a neighboring region of Croatia, Istria, where it’s made with wild asparagus that is thinner than a pencil. If you can find thin spears at your farmers’ market, use them. The recipe is inspired by a dish in Carol Field’s "Italy in Small Bites."

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Ingredients

Yield:Serves four

  • 1 to 2 garlic cloves to taste, peeled, halved, green shoot removed

  • 3 anchovy fillets, rinsed

  • 2 teaspoons capers, rinsed

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • ¼ cup finely chopped onion

  • 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint

  • Salt

  • freshly ground pepper

  • 1 pound asparagus, preferably thin stalks, trimmed

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

6 grams carbs; 3 milligrams cholesterol; 96 calories; 5 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 7 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 322 milligrams sodium; 4 grams protein; 3 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place the garlic, anchovy fillets and capers in a mortar and pestle, and mash to a paste.

  2. Step 2

    Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a small skillet. Add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until tender (do not brown), three to five minutes. Stir in the garlic and anchovy paste, and cook, stirring, for another minute. Remove from the heat, and stir in the lemon juice, mint, salt and pepper. Set aside for 15 to 30 minutes or longer. The flavors will mellow.

  3. Step 3

    Steam the asparagus for three to five minutes until just tender. Remove to a platter or a wide bowl, and add the remaining olive oil and the onion mixture. Toss gently and serve.

Tip

  • Advance preparation: You can make this through Step 2 several hours before cooking the asparagus.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
242 user ratings
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Comments

Randy

This sauce is excellent tossed with any steamed, roasted or grilled vegetable from broccoli to zucchini. I make a batch of it every couple of weeks and keep it in the refrigerator so I can use it frequently with whatever is in season.
Thank you Martha Rose for another great recipe.

MAZINYC

No need for any salt as the capers and anchovies are sufficiently saline.

TWW

I made but without the asparagus. Yummy!

Vegan in Seattle

A great vegan substitution for the anchovies is a couple teaspoons of white miso added at the same time as the mint and lemon juice. Was a hit, including with the omnivores at our table.

randyp

5/21/23 always awesome

Es

Lovely spring side dish. I omitted the mint and crushed the anchovies, capers, and garlic with a heavy knife. Wonderful that the topping can be made in advance and held at room temperature.

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