Roman and Williams Guild, with floral arrangements by Emily Thompson Flowers and an interior wonderland on its lower level sets the scene for La Mercerie’s home. A deliberate ode to French cuisine in a cosmopolitan city, seasonal dishes like the white asparagus dressed with buttered almonds are what make dining in a city like New York a non-stop adventure.

Serves 2

Ingredients

8 white asparagus

2 oz sliced almonds

4 oz unsalted butter

1 small bunch chervil (4 tbsp chopped chervil)

1 lemon

fine sea salt

freshly cracked white or black pepper

vinaigrette

for Vinaigrette

2 oz dijon mustard

3 tbsp red wine vinegar

5 oz grapeseed oil

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

freshly ground white pepper

Directions

Combine all the vinaigrette ingredients. Mix well and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Peel the hard outer layer of the asparagus and remove thick 1 inch long bottom parts.

Melt the butter in a large pan and cook until slightly brown. Add sliced almonds, 1 tsp of salt until almonds are golden brown. Set the pan with contents aside.

Cook the asparagus in boiling water for about 8 minutes until tender. Remove from water and dry off with a towel. Roll the asparagus in mustard vinaigrette on a large platter.

Place the asparagus on serving plates (4 asparagus per serving).

Reheat the butter and almond until it’s bubbly, squeeze lemon juice from lemons into the pan, and sprinkle over chervil, reserving 1 tbsp for garnish.

Pour butter mixture over asparagus and sprinkle chervil over to garnish.

Serve.