292184 Wed Mar 12 19:08:51 -0800 2003 32 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1593870 Hi. I just recently discovered asparagus and so far just make it grilled with lemon, salt, and pepper and enjoy it this way but am looking at other ways to cook it that are really yum. Any suggestions or ideas? Charlie Wed Mar 12 19:08:51 -0800 2003 0 Charlie 1 1593874 Asparagus makes a wonderful soup. I use a recipe for asparagus veloute in the "Paris Cookbook" by Patricia wells. From memory: Saute three leeks, including some of the green portion in butter. (You can use onions but leeks help the color.) Add 1 pd of asparagus or the bottom half of 2 pds, reserving tips for garnish or another use. Add chicken stock to cover, simmer about 10 or 15 minutes until everything is very, very soft. Add salt and white pepper to taste. Run it through a food mill twice for a smoth soup. Reheat with 1/4 - 1/2 cup cream.* (You can also use a food processor but the result won't be as perfect on the tongue.) * Recipe doesn't call for cream but it really is much better that way, isn't it? Serve with blanched tips or other garnish. Lovely. Tastes like the best sort of spring. Wed Mar 12 19:26:36 -0800 2003 1593870 0 JudiAU 1 1593875 Here's a link to a recipe I posted a long time ago. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/286827#1539670 Wed Mar 12 19:26:38 -0800 2003 1593870 0 Melanie Wong 2 1593940 I'm not sure where online I saw the recipe, but I saw a beautiful picture of a pork tenderloin stuffed with whole asparagus spears and maybe peppers. It looked as beautiful as it must have tasted. Thu Mar 13 12:03:59 -0800 2003 1593875 0 Catherine 1 1593878 I just had this for lunch today and it was great. Steam 1 cup asparagus spears in the microwave for about a minute and drain. Heat 2 tsp butter and 2 tsp olive oil in a pan and saute a minced garlic clove over med heat till translucent. Add 1/4 lb raw shrimp, the asparagus, and the juice from 1/2 lemon. (Fresh lemon juice is soooo much better than bottled.) If you have fresh parsley, add a bit of that. Turn heat up to med hi and saute till shrimp are just cooked thru. Salt to taste and pour over a serving of cooked pasta or rice. Makes one serving. Wed Mar 12 19:35:33 -0800 2003 1593870 0 Sarnie 2 1593966 Wow, that's sounds terrific, Sarnie. I will have to try. Did you create this yummy thing? Thu Mar 13 14:36:11 -0800 2003 1593878 0 Mrs. Smith 1 1593879 Here are some favorites: Roast it. Drizzle with a tiny amount of EVOO (if you use too much, it sort of "fries" and is greasy), roll around to coat, sprinkle with S&P and roast at 500F for 8-10 minutes, depending on thickness of spears. The high heat concentrates the asparagus flavor. Serve it as is, or drizzle with balsamic vinegar or lemon juice. Braise it in butter. This method is from Patricia Wells "At Home in Provence" cookbook and makes the most delicious asparagus. I prefer this method with spears that aren't "pencil thin" and I prefer to take a vegetable peeler and do a quick peel of the thicker end of the stalk. Melt enough unsalted butter to fill the bottom of a large skillet (large enough to hold all the spears in a single layer). Add the asparagus, season with S&P, reduce heat to very low and "braise" them in the butter, rotating the spears in the pan, until they are all cooked and barely browned all over - because of the low heat this takes at least 15 minutes. Adjust seasoning before serving. Last suggestion is an appetizer recipe by Lidia Bastianich I found in a magazine. Wrap pieces of blanched asparagus in thin slices of proscuitto, which you then roll in flour, dip in egg, and the roll in a mixture of breadcrumbs and parmesan. Chill until ready to cook. Saute in olive oil until golden and drain on paper towels. Hope this gives you a few new ideas. Wed Mar 12 19:42:14 -0800 2003 1593870 0 Terrie H. 2 1593884 Hmm, roasting at 500 degrees, for 8 to 10 min...Why, that sounds like my pizza directions! I see an asparagus pizza in my future.... Wed Mar 12 20:11:01 -0800 2003 1593879 0 galleygirl 2 1593891 Did the roasting thing tonight, almost exactly as you described but at about 400 degrees. I had cut the asparagus into 2 inch sections first then added to my risotto after cooking. A great way to eat asparagus. Growing up I would only eat the cold mushy asparagus out of a can. Now I look forward to spring as it brings fresh asparagus. Wed Mar 12 21:07:29 -0800 2003 1593879 0 Carl Haynes 2 1593963 I love roasted asparagus just the way you described them. I find that a generous sprinkling of kosher salt is key. I usually serve them as a side dish but found out, by accident, that they make a wonderful appetizer. We were just about to sit down to a supper of cornish hen, risotto made with fresh chicken stock that had been infused with rosemary (which was also placed under the skin of the hens along with slivered garlic), and the roasted asparagus when we realized the hens had come off the rotisserie a bit too soon. While we waited for the hens to finish in the oven, we plucked the asparagus spears from their serving dish and ate them just that like that, washed down with a glass of Zardetto Prosecco (can't beat it at 10 bucks a bottle). It was a great appetizer and a really nice pairing. Thu Mar 13 14:18:43 -0800 2003 1593879 0 Louise Z. 2 1594039 As a long-time asparagus junkie, I'm usually perfectly happy with steaming , microwaving or blanching [for special occassions(g)]. Thought everything else was icing on the cake...I just did the roasting in EVOO and S&P at 500 degrees last nite,and I couldn't get over it..I hesitate to say I gobbled piece after piece, but I looked, and the pound was gone...;(..And I only needed a teaspoon or so of oil.... Fri Mar 14 09:41:37 -0800 2003 1593879 0 galleygirl 3 1594049 A hefty bunch of asparagus becomes a meal for me, too, after I roast it like that. It just disappears...one minute, the plate's full, the next it's empty. Try cutting up a head of broccoli and giving it the same treatment, and watch it disappear. A squeeze of lemon ober either just makes it better. Fri Mar 14 11:00:14 -0800 2003 1594039 0 Caitlin McGrath 3 1594244 I know what you mean! I fully expect the lb. of asparagus I got this morning ($1.29/lb.!) to be my entire dinner tonight, though I saw another idea in this list that I might go for (lardon, egg, etc.). I'm definitely roasting it, either way. Sat Mar 15 15:18:04 -0800 2003 1594039 0 Terrie H. 1 1593880 I love asparagus simply steamed, chilled, and served wrapped with top-notch prosciutto as an appetizer. I have also made the attached recipe for "Asparagus Flan" from Gourmet and it definitely is a "four fork" recipe. Delish! Link: http://www.epicurious.com/run/recipe/view?id=11999&action=filtersearch&filter=recipe-filter.hts&collection=Recipes&ResultTemplate=recipe-results.hts&queryType=and&keyword=asparagus+flan&x=10&y=9 Wed Mar 12 19:50:06 -0800 2003 1593870 0 DanaB 1 1593893 steam up some & keep in the fridge to toss with salads, use in omelets & add to stir fries. Marinate some in your favourite Italian dressing & serve cold. I like to add some at the end of sauteing shrimp in butter & garlic then serve over fettucine with fresh parmesan shaved over the top. By the way, the size of the asparagus has to do with the age of the plant, not the stalk. Both young and old plants will have thin stalks, plants that are in their middle years will be thicker, some varieties are thicker than others. As the stems age they get taller, turning into a bush like plant that will die back with winter. Asparagus plants are perrenials and last for many years in the garden. I had a bed for many years and miss not having it now!! Wed Mar 12 21:42:11 -0800 2003 1593870 0 ocdreamr 1 1593895 If you try it this way, you will never go back! (Courtesy of Honeymom's restaurant in Kansas City) Drop it in boiling water for 5 or 6 minutes. Take it out, lay it on a paper towel and sprinkle with salt. Let it rest for a few minutes then arrange it in a baking dish. Cover the stalk side with sliced fontina cheese. Zest about half a lemon over the cheese, add the juice from the lemon half, pour over a bit of white wine/vermouth then sprinkle with salt. Bake at 400 for about 8 minutes (but watch) until it melts. Just had it tonight and want more! Wed Mar 12 22:19:53 -0800 2003 1593870 0 Jeff 2 1593929 This seems like a lot of cooking time to me - 5-6 minutes boiling and then baking for another 8 minutes? I'd think the asparagus would be overcooked (I like my veggies on the crisp-tender side)...maybe blanch for no more than a minute and then bake it for the 8 minutes would be more to my liking. Thu Mar 13 10:45:02 -0800 2003 1593895 0 Linda W. 1 1593897 Grilled, as you did, is my favorite way followed by roasting in a 500F oven. But don't avoid steaming or blanching, this can be a nice change. You can make a nice simple penne pasta dish using thin asparagus sliced on the diagonal (size of the penne) and blanched. Combine with penne, olive oil, garlic, toasted pine nuts, lemon zest, coarsley grated black pepper and parmesan cheese. Serve hot or room temp. Asparagus soup is very, very good. Wed Mar 12 22:58:56 -0800 2003 1593870 0 Thea 1 1593899 Steam a few stalks and layer them in with a dish of eggs benedict - mmmmm! Wed Mar 12 23:21:23 -0800 2003 1593870 0 christina z 1 1593900 All the flavors in this salad work very well together. 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried 1 teaspoon minced garlic 2 pounds asparagus, ends trimmed, cut on diagonal into 2-inch pieces 1 small red bell pepper, diced 1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted In a small saucepan over medium heat, boil the vinegar until it's reduced by half, and pour into a bowl large enough to hold all the salad ingredients. Whisk in the mustard, garlic and marjoram, then the olive oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook the asparagus in boiling water until tender-crisp (3-4 minutes, depending on how thick the spears are), drain, and rinse under cold water. Drain very well and add to the dressing in the bowl. Add the bell pepper and pecans and toss until dressing coats everything evenly. Wed Mar 12 23:21:38 -0800 2003 1593870 0 Caitlin McGrath 2 1593983 Thanks, Caitlin. Since I am the salad maker in our household, I am always looking for interesting and different salads - and this is one I will definitely try. Thu Mar 13 16:32:04 -0800 2003 1593900 0 SylviaG 3 1593998 Let me know how you like it! I've always found it to be very successful (among others), and I love it. Thu Mar 13 18:18:35 -0800 2003 1593983 0 Caitlin McGrath 1 1593906 1 lb thick asparagus, cut in 1/2" diagonal slices 1/2 lb ground pork 1 large clove minced garlic 3 slices minced fresh ginger 1 minced serrano chile 6 minced scallions 1/2 lb sliced fresh mushrooms 1 Tbsp fermented black beans, soaked, drained, and minced 1/4 Cup oyster sauce 3 TBsp peanut oil Chicken stock Cornstarch Sesame oil In a screaming hot wok or large skillet, briefly stir fry the garlic, ginger, chile, black beans, and scallions in the peanut oil. Add the ground pork and stir fry until the pork turns white. Add the mushrooms and toss until coated with the other ingredients. Add the asparagus and continue to stir fry until it turns bright green but is still crisp. Add 1 Cup hot chicken stock and the oyster sauce to the pan. Bring to a boil and thicken with a little cornstarch mixed with cold water. Sprinkle with a teaspoon of sesame oil. Thu Mar 13 01:19:42 -0800 2003 1593870 0 Cristina 1 1593909 we use it in a pesto recipe instead of tons of basil (my husband is allergic to basil). Just steam it first and blend it with all the usual ingredients and a little basil. ahh, on penne, it is wonderful! peace, jill Thu Mar 13 04:32:26 -0800 2003 1593870 0 jill 1 1593934 When I try a new vegetable, I often search growers' websites for recipes. Here are some really good asparagus growers' recipe links: http://www.asparagus.on.ca/recipes.htm http://www.asparagus.org/maab/recipes.html http://www.calasparagus.com/consumer/recipes.htm http://www.washingtonasparagus.com/default.cfm?body=recipes.cfm http://www.british-asparagus.co.uk/recipes.htm http://www.islandnet.com/~cford/recipes.html http://www.victoriaisland.net/recipes/page2.html Enjoy!! Thu Mar 13 11:11:53 -0800 2003 1593870 0 Nancy Berry 1 1593951 The restaurants here in San Francisco are starting to feature spring asparagus in their dishes. Just a few days ago I had an appetizer which consisted approximately of the following: Sautéed lardons dressed with a butter vinaigrette, topped with thin grilled slices of French Bread, topped with grilled asparagus spears, topped with a poached egg. It was delicious. Thu Mar 13 13:10:42 -0800 2003 1593870 0 Paul H 1 1593965 Hi Charlie, Welcome to the wonderful world of asparagus. In my opinion, the way you are eating it is the highest form of the vegetable. Grilling with lemon, salt and pepper (and you could add a little extra-virgin olive oil to this delicious mix) is really one of the very very best preparations. Steaming is inferior, in my opinion. Just an addition to your current preparation: I learned from the "Best Recipe" (America's Test Kitchen -- the Cook's Illustrated people) Italian cookbook to serve grilled (or broiled) asparagus with fried eggs and parmesan. The idea appealed to me at first -- but then I tasted it and found out it was even better than I expected! This prep would be a great quick meal-maker when you had some great asparagus and not much else in the house! I've served this, successfully, at a pretty formal luncheon I had at my house. If people like asparagus, they pretty much like this prep. The yolk of the egg and the grated Parmigiano combine to make a sort of sauce for the grilled asparagus. Fantastic. -Grill your asparagus spears how you like them. Or,if not griling, then roll the spears in a little extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper, and then place in a baking dish under the broiler. Check them after 5 minutes -- pull them out when they are slightly colored but not blackened. Should still have a little crispness to them. Don't use immensely fat asparagus if you are broiling. When the asparagus goes under the broiler, start preheating a non-stick skillet on the very very lowest setting of your burner. Preheat on this super-low for 5 full minutes. Drop in a pat of butter, and wait until it stops foaming. Slide in your eggs -- up to four at once -- and quickly cover. Let them cook on super-low for 2 and half minutes, then check them. If you like the yolks still liquid but the whites set, they should be about done now. Take your asparagus and either put them onto a plate or platter. I actually broil them on an ovenproof platter so I don't have to transfer them. Carefully lift out the eggs and lay them diagonally across the aspragus spears. Sprinkle over 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Regiano (for 4 eggs and 2 pounds asparagus, less for fewer eggs and spears). Serve. In my extended family, this is now referred to as Eggs and Spears. It's elegant but not fussy. I prefer this to asparagus with hollandaise now. With this you get the richness of the cheese and yolks complimenting the asparagus, without so much of a sauce, per se. Enjoy spring! Thu Mar 13 14:31:11 -0800 2003 1593870 0 Mrs. Smith 2 1593967 That sounds just lovely Mrs. Smith. I will have to try that tonight. Thanks for sharing! Thu Mar 13 14:41:59 -0800 2003 1593965 0 Celeste 2 1593970 I too am a fan of asparagus with cheese & fried eggs, but IMHO it's *even better* with some prosciutto mixed in. Another take on asparagus & eggs is to serve cooked asparagus with a highly seasoned olive oil/lemon vinaigrette into which you mix poached egg(s). Got that from Elizabeth David somewhere. I think she just used the yolk but I throw in the whole thing. Delicious. Thu Mar 13 15:17:19 -0800 2003 1593965 0 aromatherapy 1 1593990 So many ways to do asparagus - isn't it wonderful?! A slight twist on your grilling method ~ marinate the asparagus with Asian hot sauce, grainy mustard, kosher salt, small amount of olive oil, lemon zest and cracked pepper, to taste. Grill or roast to tender-crisp and enjoy!I have an asparagus steamer and like it that way too. Make a compound butter by mixing softened butter with lemon juice,cracked pepper,lemon zest and snipped fresh tarragon. Roll up in saran wrap into a log shape. You can freeze or refrigerate. Cut off a slice and put it on your steamed asparagus - truly great. Use thicker asparagus, IMO it is better and remember to simply snap the ends off where to break naturally. Good luck Charlie! Thu Mar 13 16:56:45 -0800 2003 1593870 0 Allison 1 1594042 I found a stunning pasta recipe in an interesting cookbook that is just amazingly good! It uses heavy cream, parmesan cheese, lemon zest and juice, and of course ASPARAGUS over fettucine. Mmmmm.... I know what I'm hacing for dinner tonight! Fri Mar 14 10:03:21 -0800 2003 1593870 0 SisterT 1 1594115 Haven't seen it here, but my favorite way to prepare asparagus for fast meals is to get an old-style coffeepot, the type that are tall enough to fit a stalk of asparagus. Using a bit of water, chardonney and lemon juice, fill the pot with about an inch of the liquid. Don't cut off the bottoms unless they are really hard! Place the stalks inside and steam to taste. Store in tupperware style containers for up to 2-4 days, depending on how long you cooked them. I use them in omelets, eggs benedict, baked potatoes, rice, lasagne in the place of eggplant or zucchini (hate both of the former) and literally dozens of recipes. Leftover mac and cheese with asparagus and my personal favorite (and as my husband says 'a waste of perfectly good queen white asparagus') make grilled cheese sandwiches with Smoked Butterkase cheese and queen white asparagus tips. Yum! Fri Mar 14 17:01:17 -0800 2003 1593870 0 Denise 1 1594638 I just read Food & Wine magazine (April issue). There is an interesting asparagus recipe on page 66 by Chef Carlos Posadas. It is unusual because he slow cooks the asparagus for hours! Appears the technique is to cook at a low temp. so the stalks don't steam, therefore not making it mushy but evenly cooked. I am going to give a try to see how it turns out. He serves it with a caper sauce. Thu Mar 20 15:17:13 -0800 2003 1593870 0 Allison