Asparagus

I feel the same way about asparagus as I do about celery--not a big fan. Norm loves celery but s will let it languish in the fridge unless I wash and clean it and pull off the thickest strings from the stems. 

The only asparagus worth eating is locally grown asparagus picked fresh in the spring, and still I'm not excited to cook it.

Amy loves asparagus and will stir-fry it in a wok with garlic and oil. At his first Christmas dinner, baby Nate reached for the dish of asparagus Amy had made, and had fun waving the spears around and trying to chew it with his new teeth.

If you buy too much to eat right away, freeze some or wrap it in a damp dishtowel, put it in a plastic bag and it might keep in the vegetable crisper for a week.

To Freeze Asparagus

Norm's dad Earl loved corn on the cob so much he used to buy a bushel of corn on the cob when it was in season, husk the corn, and blanche and freeze it this way. You could do the same with asparagus.

1. Wash it, then put it in boiling water 2-3 minutes.
2. Drain, cool, wrap in plastic.
3. Put portions in a plastic bag in the freezer and take out to use before winter is over.

Steamed Fresh Asparagus

1. Cut woody stem end from clean asparagus stalks.
2. Stand the stalks, cut end down, in salted boiling water.
3. Steam about 7 minutes until tender.
4. Drizzle with melted butter and sprinkle with salt.
5. Use the left-over asparagus water to make vegetable soup with cut-up potatoes and carrots.

Asparagus with Thai Dressing

Serves 6 as a salad course.

• 1-1/2 lb (750 g) asparagus
• 1 small red onion
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) loosely packed fresh mint leaves (chopped if using large leaves)
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh coriander leaves
• lettuce leaves (optional)
• 3 Tbsp (50 mL) vegetable or peanut oil
• 1 Tbsp (15 mL) lime juice
• 1 Tbsp 15 mL) fish sauce
• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) red pepper flakes

1. Cut off and discard tough ends of asparagus. Slice diagonally into 7 cm (3-inch) lengths. Place in steamer basket, cover and steam over boiling water 4 minutes or until tender-crisp.
2. Drain asparagus and rinse under cold running water, drain and dry on paper towels.
3. Cut raw, peeled red onion into thin slices, separate into rings.
4. Make dressing in small bowl: blend oil, lime juice, fish sauce, red pepper flakes.
5. Combine cooked asparagus, onion rings, mint, coriander and dressing in a large bowl and toss to mix. Serve on platter or individual salad plates lined with lettuce.

Asparagus Milanese

This recipe and the following two...from Nan's 1955 copy of The Italian Cookbook by Maria Luisa Taglienti

Serves 6-8

• 2 lbs fresh asparagus
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup hot butter

1. Clean asparagus and cut off tough parts of stalks.
2. Tie in 4 bunches with string and place in 3 quarts boiling salted water.
3. Boil 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain. Remove string.
4. Place in hot oval serving platter so bunches are tip to tip in the center of the platter.
5. Sprinkle tips with cheese.
6. Pour hot butter over asparagus.

Asparagi Alla Polonese

Serves 4

• 1 lb fresh asparagus
• 1 hard-boiled egg
• 5 Tbsp butter
• 1-1/2 Tbsp bread crumbs

1. Clean asparagus and cut off tough part of stalk.
2. Tie in 2 bunches and cook in 2-1/2 quarts boiling salted water 15-20 minutes or until tender.
3. Drain and remove string.
4. Place asparagus in hot serving dish and keep warm.
5. Mash the yolk of the hard-boiled egg.
6. Pace butter in small frying pan and when hot, add mashed egg yolk and bread crumbs. Cook over medium-high flame for 2 minutes, stirring.
7. Add butter mixture to asparagus and serve immediately.

Asparagi Alla Maddalena

Serves 4

• 1 lb. fresh or frozen asparagus
• 3 slices bacon
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 12 cup water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• dash of crushed red pepper

1. Cook bacon in a small saucepan until almost crisp.
2. To the bacon in the pan, add oil, water, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Boil 2 minutes.
3. Add asparagus, cover and simmer about 20 minutes.
4. Remove bacon before serving.

Roast Garlic Asparagus

• 1-1/2 lb. fresh asparagus spears
• 2-3 cloves garlic, thinly slices
• 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Snap off, discard woody ends from asparagus.
3. Put asparagus and garlic in a long baking pan, drizzle with oil.
4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Toss to coat.
6. Roast 10-15 minutes or till asparagus is crisp-tender, stirring once halfway through roasting.
7. Serve immediately.
8. You could also wrap the asparagus in foil and roast on the BBQ.

Baked Frozen Asparagus

1. Place the asparagus, still frozen, in a buttered baking dish.
2. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Spread about 1 cup sour cream on top.
4. Mix 1 cup breadcrumbs with 1/4 cup melted butter and spread on top.
5. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until the asparagus is fork-tender and the crumbs are golden (40-45 minutes)

Spring Vegetable Medley with Asparagus

Use any fresh, tender spring vegetables, these cook quickly.

Wash and trim the vegetables ahead of time and put together this dish in the last ten minutes of meal preparation.

• 1 tsp salt
• 1 bunch thin asparagus (trim ends if tough)
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 small leek, dark-green leaves trimmed, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds (1 cup)
• 1 bunch young spinach, stems trimmed
• 1/2 cup sweet fresh baby peas

1. Put an inch of cold water in a 12-inch skillet and place over high heat, bring to a boil.
2. Add 1/2 tsp salt and asparagus. Cover and simmer 3-4 minutes until tender.
3. Remove asparagus and transfer to serving plate.
4. Pour water from skillet, return to heat, add butter.
5. To melted butter add leek, cook 2 minutes until tender.
6. Add spinach and peas, season with salt and pepper, cover and cook about 3 minutes until spinach wilts and peas are tender.
7. Turn the vegetables out of the skillet over the asparagus and serve.