Chef Gand adds cornmeal to her spaetzle (a traditional German dumpling) to give it added texture and a bit of crunch. With the tomatoes, she sautés them until, she says, they “jump in the pan.” Get more tips on how to make spaetzle.
Chive and Cornmeal Spaetzle with Charred Grape Tomatoes and Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1-1/2 lb. asparagus, trimmed and sliced on a bias into 1-1/2-inch pieces
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 pints grape tomatoes
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
- 8 oz. (1-3/4 cups) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornmeal
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- 1 tsp. finely chopped chives; more for garnish
- 3 Tbs. fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 2 medium cloves garlic, mashed to a paste with the side of a knife
Instructions
- Bring a large well-salted pot of water to a boil.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbs. of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the asparagus, season with salt and pepper, and cook, tossing occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large serving bowl. Increase the heat to medium high and swirl in 1 Tbs. of oil. Add the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the tomatoes are blistered and beginning to split, about 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes to the bowl with the asparagus and set aside.
- Whisk together the eggs, milk, and mustard in a large bowl. Add the flour, cornmeal, nutmeg, chives, and 1 tsp. salt and whisk until completely combined. Place a spaetzle maker over the boiling water. Push the dough through the holes, letting it fall into the water below. (If you don’t have a spaetzle maker, use a rubber spatula to push the dough through the holes of a colander set over the pot of water.) The dough will form small dumplings as it drops into the water. Allow the spaetzle to rise to the surface and float for about 3 minutes. Remove the spaetzle from the boiling water with a spider or slotted spoon to the bowl with the vegetables and toss well.
- In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, the remaining 2 Tbs. oil, garlic, and 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Add to the spaetzle and toss well to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the additional chives.
