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Embrace the start of spring with this poached vegetable and shrimp spread. Garlicky aïoli infused with saffron provides a pop of flavor and color as a delicious dip for those crisp-tender veggies and succulent bites of shrimp. Make everything a day ahead, and serve this dish as a beautiful weekend brunch. Slideshow: More Aioli Recipes
How to Make It
Make the aïoli: Combine lemon juice and saffron in a small bowl. Let stand 15 minutes. Using flat side of a knife, mash garlic to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt on a cutting board. Place lemon juice mixture, garlic paste, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, Dijon, and egg yolks in the bowl of a food processor. With machine running, slowly drizzle canola oil and olive oil, alternating with splashes of cold water, into food processor until all oil is added. Spoon aïoli into a bowl and chill until ready to serve.
Make the vegetables and shrimp: In a large pot, bring 6 quarts of water, 2 tablespoons salt, and potatoes to a boil over moderately high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove potatoes with a mesh skimmer and cool on a baking sheet.
Increase heat to high and add remaining 2 tablespoons salt. When water is rapidly boiling, add asparagus and haricots verts, and cook until bright green and crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Remove with a mesh skimmer to a bowl of ice water. Let stand until cool; drain.
Add wine to water in pot and return to a boil. Add shrimp and cook until just opaque, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a mesh skimmer and rinse shrimp under cold water.
To serve, halve potatoes lengthwise. Peel shrimp, leaving tail intact. Place bowl of aïoli in center of a platter and sprinkle with piment d’Espelette. Arrange potatoes, asparagus, haricots verts, shrimp, radishes, fennel wedges, and eggs around aïoli.