Don’t mess up asparagus, nothing breaks my heart more than someone who overcooks this member of the Lily family. Just don’t make my cry. There are several varieties, wild, white, violet or purple, and the usual green. It has been declared an almost perfect food by the Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board (yes there is an advisory board on asparagus so don’t laugh) because it is high in folacin, vitamin B6, gluthaonine, thiamin, FIBER, potassium, and rutin which strengthens capillary walls. Green asparagus is what you usually find in most American markets, however if you search you can also find White, Purple, and Wild asparagus. White is popular in Europe and grows this way because the stalks are deprived of sunlight, making them milder and delicate in flavor. In Italy and Great Britain violet or purple asparagus can be found, they are heartier and have thicker, woodier stalks. Wild asparagus is something I have had the pleasure of eating and cooking while I was in Minneapolis. They are thin, and weed-like looking mimickers of cultivated asparagus, but asparagus never the less. I loved their fresh flavor and they required very little cooking at all, as they are so thin and delicate.

Generally I’ve always been taught that you hold an asparagus stalk gently in two hands and bend it until it snaps, then you know where to cut. Or you can just snap the whole bunch this way. I am used to cooking in batches so I cut, I want to get my prep done in time for dinner and keep my job….so you can snap all you like. If the stalks are hearty, say on green or purple asparagus you can take a vegetable peeler and peel then gently, this is the preferred preparation for fresh white asparagus as well. Have a pot of boiling, salted water at the ready and…AND…an ice bath also at the ready. Well I guess you could forgo the ice bath if you are going to eat the asparagus right away, but if cooking for later, or for salads just get the ice bath also. To do that you just get a large enough bowl, or container to hold enough ice and some water that you can submerge the blanched asparagus in. It has to cover to h alt the cooking process, because think ab out it, asparagus is just a lot of water filled pockets of fibrous goodness, and once you bring the insides up to boiling point you have to cool it instantly or the insides will remain hot and continue to steam it to un-appetizing flaccidity.

So if you’ve chosen your asparagus and peeled it and snapped or snipped it go ahead and toss it into that pot of rapidly boiling, salted, water. Wait until the water comes back up to a boil, and quickly remove the asparagus to the water bath, completely submerging it under the ice for about 3 minutes. Drain and blot dry. Now deciding on what to do with it? You could eat it right there! Slice it on a 1/4″ diagonal, and toss it in a stir fry with some shrimp, pan sear it with some Olive oil, garlic and cracked black pepper with a squirt of lemon. You could bake it with shredded Parmesan. Chop it up and mix it with some crab meat and bread crumbs for crab cakes. Really it’s so versatile and easy…EASY…spritz it with olive oil spray and a sprinkling of sea salt and toss it on a hot grill for a few minutes and that pairs well with cedar planked wild salmon. Now, if you can somehow get your hands on some wild asparagus, just be gentle with it. Very little trimming is needed, very little cooking, even just a toss in a hot pan with some oil and seasonings will do the trick. Just blanch and serve.

So, whether you peel it or not, blanch or grill, saute or bake, asparagus is for all of us. I hope you enjoy some soon.

Comments(0)