287097 Wed Apr 11 11:18:43 -0700 2001 41 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1542397 I'm getting a bumper crop of asparagus. Besides steaming and buttering, or making soup out of the ones I forget to pick every day, or eating them raw on the way back into the house, does anybody have a favorite way to fix them that doesn't mask the super-fresh quality? Any condiment besides butter? Wed Apr 11 11:18:43 -0700 2001 0 Betty 1 1542398 I like asparagus cold in salads with olive oil. They also make a nice presentation in salads with other ingredients. Wed Apr 11 11:29:56 -0700 2001 1542397 0 Ruby 2 1542403 I love this time of year, to chow down on all the asparagas I can! Often make a big pile of steamed asp for dinner--buttered with a good grating of Parmeggiano Reggiano. Have also grilled it outside--lends a really smokey flavor and totally changes the veg. Keeps it interesting. Wed Apr 11 11:57:43 -0700 2001 1542398 0 berkleybabe 2 1542473 Toss trimmed asparagus spears with olive oil, put under broiler for 10 min or under asparagus is cooked but still al dente. Remove from heat Make vinaigrette with about 2 TBL of chopped fresh tarragon, finely diced shallots, olive oil and chopped cherry tomatoes. Spoon over cooked asparagus. Tarragon and asparagus is very good together Thu Apr 12 15:14:12 -0700 2001 1542398 0 MarthaD 1 1542399 I like to broil asparagus with lemon, olive oil, and a bit of fresh black pepper. A little dijon mustard is good, too. Wed Apr 11 11:44:43 -0700 2001 1542397 0 Lauren 1 1542401 With hollendaise. Wed Apr 11 11:48:30 -0700 2001 1542397 0 Andy Lynes 2 1542409 I second the call for lemony hollandaise! I have also enjoyed asparagus "in the Flemish style" from the "Everybody Eats Well in Belgium Cookbook" -- Ruth Van Waerebeek that simply called for finely chopped hard boiled egg and fresh squeezes of lemon on steamed asparagus, very light (and pretty)! Link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0761101063/o/qid=987009764/sr=8-1/ref=aps_sr_b_1_1/107-0595463-7666117 Image: http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0761101063.01.LZZZZZZZ.gif Wed Apr 11 13:26:35 -0700 2001 1542401 0 Heather 3 1542414 Oops! Flemish style asparagus calls for chopped boiled eggs and melted butter (plus chopped fresh herbs if you have any), I improvised the lemon. Very yummy either way! Wed Apr 11 13:45:15 -0700 2001 1542409 0 Heather 2 1542458 Hollandaise made with orange juice, rather than lemon, is a nice foil for fresh asparagus too. And don't forget a la greqe, cold or room temp. Delish. Thu Apr 12 01:26:18 -0700 2001 1542401 0 barbara ryan 1 1542404 I just toss them in a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper and then grill them -- a grill pan works well for this, also. We just had some wonderful purple asparagus cooked this way (in the grill pan) two days ago. They were wonderful!! Wed Apr 11 12:00:14 -0700 2001 1542397 0 Nancy Berry 1 1542408 Battered in egg, rolled in breadcrumbs, salt and pepper and fried. Wed Apr 11 13:12:17 -0700 2001 1542397 0 Samo 1 1542410 Slice them diagonally and stir-fry them with any Chinese sauce. Steam them lightly (or blanch them) and marinate them (e.g. olive oil, white wine, and a touch of garlic, salt, and pepper). Grilled asparagus, especially the very thin ones, are great on sandwiches with ham or sardines. Wed Apr 11 13:29:13 -0700 2001 1542397 0 Josh Mittleman 1 1542411 Betty, This is the only way I can get my kids to eat Asparagus. It's a great recipe for company. You can prepare it ahead of time just before broiling. Asparagus With Parmesan Butter 3 T butter, room temp 1/2 cup packed grated Parmesan cheese 1 T chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried 1 large garlic clove, chopped 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice Cook asparagus in large pot of boiling salted water until just crisp tender, about 3 minutes. Drain well. Arrange asparagus on broilerproof platter. Preheat broiler. Beat butter in medium bowl until fluffy. Stir in cheese, basil, garlic and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drop butter mixture by teaspoonfuls over asparagus. Broil asparagus until topping browns, watching closely to avoid burning, about 3 minutes. Serve hot. Serves 4. Bon Appetit June 1998 Too Busy To Cook Wed Apr 11 13:29:51 -0700 2001 1542397 0 Nancy Ives 1 1542412 I could eat it three times a day -- and have! Don't forget tarts. Asparagus and eggs go together so well. A little good ham chopped into the batter is fine too. I've also added diagonally sliced asp. to scrambled eggs. I sometimes like to use freshly squeezed orange juice in the place of lemon juice. pat Wed Apr 11 13:38:55 -0700 2001 1542397 0 pat hammond 1 1542413 Roasted is a nice change, too. Just toss in olive oil, S & P. 450 for 10 minutes. Asparagus quiche is yummy as well, and too easily forgotten about. Wed Apr 11 13:42:21 -0700 2001 1542397 0 wemberly 2 1542475 I too love the quick roast. I peel and quarter it if it's large, just leave it alone if tiny, 1/4 morels, toss with the best olive oil I have, s&p and roast at 500 for about 6-8min. my mouth waters just thinking about it. i taught a class on only asparagus and have close to 100 recipes, so if you need more please feel free to email. Rochelle Thu Apr 12 15:43:18 -0700 2001 1542413 0 Rochelle 2 1542516 If you pre-heat your sheet pan first a nice caramelized char-thing will happen. Also a great technique for mushrooms, small onion wedges and other veggies, go crazy! Sat Apr 14 08:44:52 -0700 2001 1542413 0 Heidi 1 1542416 Slow sauteed whole spears in garlic-flavored olive oil & a little butter -- put fried garlic slices & sauteed pancetta bits on top to serve with some lemon & pepper. Deb H. Wed Apr 11 14:01:36 -0700 2001 1542397 0 Deb H. 1 1542418 I have an asparagus salad that's always well-liked; it's essentially just crisp-tender asparagus in a vinaigrette made with reduced (commercial) balsamic vinegar, with some diced red pepper and chopped toasted pecans. Link below to the recipe on epicurious.com (it's my own recipe, but Bon Appetit magazine owns it now). I also love asparagus roasted, as others have said, with a bit of olive oil, S & P, and maybe a squeeze of lemon. Really brings out the sweetness of the asparagus. Link: http://www.epicurious.com/run/recipe/view?id=4807 Wed Apr 11 14:25:31 -0700 2001 1542397 0 Caitlin McGrath 2 1542440 Wow, Caitlin, I checked the site, and those are some rave reviews! Convinces me I can make it for company without doing a trial run. But do you think it will work equally well with roasted asparagus? I can't see why not. At Easter, I always just steam it and dribble raspberry sauce. Wed Apr 11 18:28:22 -0700 2001 1542418 0 Mary Shaposhnik 3 1542444 Mary, I think it would be even better with roasted asparagus! I'd been thinking of trying it that way next time. Wed Apr 11 19:07:49 -0700 2001 1542440 0 Caitlin McGrath 2 1542465 In a similar vein, I roast mine with hazelnut oil (matches the asparagus better than olive oil, IMNSHO) and balsamic, etc. I also grill them over lump charcoal, which adds a nice smoky touch. Thu Apr 12 09:54:30 -0700 2001 1542418 0 Karl 1 1542427 I like to make a pasta dish with no-cook sauce, where you cut the asparagus on the diagonal and toss in the pasta pot just as the penne is finishing cooking-- the last couple of minutes. Toss pasta and asparagus with olive oil in which you have heated some chopped garlic, toasted pine nuts, basil chiffonade, grated parmesan cheese and lots of freshly grated black pepper. Wed Apr 11 16:27:45 -0700 2001 1542397 0 Anne H. 2 1542439 Anne, I make a sauce very similar to yours and find that the addition of freshly grated lemon rind really freshens the taste. But then, I'm really a nut for lemons. pat Wed Apr 11 18:07:40 -0700 2001 1542427 0 pat hammond 3 1542471 . Thu Apr 12 13:41:40 -0700 2001 1542439 0 Anne 1 1542429 I like to cut them into 1-inch pieces and then simmer the pieces in salted water, the tips just until tender, the rest of the stalk till thoroughly cooked. Set aside the tips, and puree the drained stalks, drizzling in some olive oil as if you're making a mayonaise. Cook pasta in the asparagus cooking water. I like to use penne because it echoes the asparagus. Then toss together with the sauce, tips and salt/pepper. Pecorino also very nice with this. Wed Apr 11 16:54:55 -0700 2001 1542397 0 Erica Marcus 1 1542430 a friend made an otherworldly asparagus frittata the other day. the flavor goes so beautifully with eggs. Wed Apr 11 16:57:03 -0700 2001 1542397 0 emily 1 1542435 Roast the asparagus in a little olive oil, with a little grated fresh paremsan, cracked black pepper and julienned prosciutto. F inish it off with parmesan curls and be prepared to die a happy woman. Please send me your left over asparagus. Wed Apr 11 17:44:47 -0700 2001 1542397 0 pam 1 1542441 Ah, it's that time again. Try cold poached spears wrapped in smoked salmon. Black forest ham and asparagus smothered in hollandaise. Stir fry of chicken and diagonally cut asparagus with lots of garlic and black bean sauce. Here's a tart recipe that's always a hit. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/286827#1539670 Wed Apr 11 18:38:11 -0700 2001 1542397 0 Melanie Wong 2 1542442 The tart is perfect with Alsatian dry muscat wine. And, let's not forget about asparagus grilled over a fire of vine cuttings. Wed Apr 11 18:40:11 -0700 2001 1542441 0 Melanie Wong 2 1542540 Thanks for the link to the tart recipe. It is so simple and SO good. I made it twice this weekend! Mon Apr 16 13:41:40 -0700 2001 1542441 0 gini 1 1542447 Make a tempura batter of flour, salt, and water, and deep-fry until crispy. Yum! Different, but a big hit here. Wed Apr 11 20:59:41 -0700 2001 1542397 0 ironmom 1 1542449 My mother (and now me) makes a sauce of chopped tomatoes, mayonnaise, and fresh ground black pepper heated in a saucepan until the mayonnaise is pink from the tomatoes. Delicious on asparagus. Wed Apr 11 21:11:15 -0700 2001 1542397 0 Caitlin Wheeler 1 1542453 My loving wife always prepares my favorite breakfast for Father's Day: a fresh asparagus and swiss cheese omlette, with toasted heavily carowa-seeded rye bread. Asparagus and swiss is a very complementary combination that preserves the individual flavors while, at the same time, providing a new melded flavor. Wed Apr 11 23:55:52 -0700 2001 1542397 0 Deven Black 1 1542455 Ahhh the tastes of spring! "Grass" is heaven with eggs and cheese. It makes for wonderful frittata, quiches, and omlettes. It's great grilled, either warm or cold on its own or in a salad. That's the general scoop, not wanting to repeat what previous yummy postes have already said. Here are 2 of my favorites. Warm (or cold too) grilled "grass" proscuto di parma and parmesano regianno make a nice antipasto with a little good olive oil, salt and pepper. Angle cut your "grass" in thirds or quarters. Chow cook in a hot wok with peanut oil (add a little sesame oil too) when the "grass" starts to caramelize add a few cloves of chopped garlic and cook a few moments longer. Yum! We all wish we had your problem! Chow!!! Thu Apr 12 00:19:37 -0700 2001 1542397 0 Brandon Nelson 1 1542464 Risotto--and lucky you, the younger the asparagus the yummier it is--cut stalks in thirds, blanch until just tender. Use the blanching water as part of the liquid to cook the risotto. Add all but the tips at the beginning of cooking, fold in tips at the end for two contrasting but equally compelling flavors. Optional but good, if richer-- add a very small amount of diced fontina with the tips. Thu Apr 12 09:35:06 -0700 2001 1542397 0 Martha Gehan 1 1542469 I was amazed to see the list of great asparagus ideas this morning! thanks. Thu Apr 12 11:55:50 -0700 2001 1542397 0 Betty 1 1542490 I recognize that I'm getting off the "super-fresh" track here, but... I made a yummy asparagus dip once. It was actually an accident. My original intention was to just steam the asp and drizzle olive oil and lemon juice over it. But I kinda lost track of time and the asp ended up a tad overcooked. So I pureed it with the oil & lemon & some salt & pepper, and served it forth with crackers alongside. It disappeared pretty quickly. Thu Apr 12 22:49:53 -0700 2001 1542397 0 C. Fox 2 1542962 Thank you! I am always cooking my asparagus too long, but now I'll do it on purpose. I used chili olive oil because I didn't have any plain olive oil and it was great. Had a real zip to it. Tue Jun 26 11:55:01 -0700 2001 1542490 0 Amy 1 1542511 Hi Betty, If you happen to have the BBQ fired up: Wrap each stalk of asparagus with a strip of bacon, and cook on the grill until the bacon is just this side of crispy. Mmmmmm. I've got to say that this is one of the most mouth-watering threads that I've read in a long time. I'm definitely going over to the supermarket today, and stock up on "asuparagasu" for the weekend. Yoroshiku, Andy Fri Apr 13 18:12:09 -0700 2001 1542397 0 Andy P. 1 1542671 By now the word "asparagus" looks like it came from another planet, but I'll try and remember what I'm talking about anyway. Right now we're getting spears grown in California, and they're pretty good, but I need to be careful not to burn out before the local Washington stuff arrives. I don't think anyone has yet mentioned the avgolemono-style preparation from John Thorne's latest book, Pot on the Fire. I don't have the book handy, nor permission to repost the recipe, but essentially you boil some italian rice in lots of water (really), throw in the asparagus a couple minutes before it's done, then drain and mix with beaten egg, lemon juice, s&p. Wow. Matthew Fri Apr 20 13:07:27 -0700 2001 1542397 0 Matthew Amster-Burton 2 1542684 This sounds so good! I have a craving for it right now. Am off to search for equivalent recipes. And I am posting below my other fav asparagus recipe with Chinese seasonings. I think this is for after you have had you first naked asparagus, but I do not find the flavoring obscuring. To comply with copyright law, I have reproduced the exact list of ingredients, but changed the text of the method/instructions--they are mine. To comply with the spirit of the law, I encourage everyone to purchase Barbara Tropp's "The Modern Art of Chinese Cooking", there you will find the explanation and methods that make everything work so well, which I have not reporduced here. This is a wonderful instructive book that continues to suprise and instruct me 20 years after its purchase. I once heard she was issuing an updated version. Anyone know the scoop on this? Cold Asparagus with Sesame Seeds Recipe inspired By: Barbara Tropp, The Modern Art of Chinese Cooking 1 1/2 pounds asparagus 1 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil 4 teaspoons brown or white sugar 2 teaspoons white vinegar 2 teaspoons regular soy sauce 2 teaspoons white sesame seeds, toasted in a pan, stirring continually until light brown--don't burn! This works best with the thinner asparagus. Trim asparagus and slice on a severe diagonal into 1 1/2 inch lengths. Have ready a bowl of ice water. Blanch asparagus in boiling water for 1 minute if pencil-thin, 1 1/2 minutes of thicker, no longer because you want to go for a crisp texture here. Drain immediately in a colander and plunge into the ice water. Pat dry. For sauce, if you are working only an hour in advance, use the brown sugar, otherwise use white. Whisk sauce ingredients together until smooth and slightly thick. Let develop 10 minutes. Toss dressing with asparagus and sesame seeds. Chill. This is best served within several hours of saucing. I have kept the rare leftovers and used to top cold noodle dishes, good still, but the sparkle on the asaparagus is greatly diminished. Fri Apr 20 17:01:24 -0700 2001 1542671 0 Anne H.