Cooking with Asparagus Root.

[Alex Parker]

Just got given some amazing Asparagus Root. Ive never cooked with it before. I was thinking of simmering it in some stock and doing a soup, or extracting the flavour into cream, but that seems super boring. Is there anything I can do with it thats a bit more avane garde? I was considering a gelee, but not sure how I would do that without having to extract the flavour out of it. I love how they look, and I want the actual root to be a part of the final presentation. Any help would be fantastic!

Alex

[heidih]

Do you mean the actual root as opposed to the tender spears that poke up through the ground?

[Lisa Shock]

I have only heard of the dry root being used in Chinese medicine.

We had some in the garden when I was growing up, we never did anything with the roots since the plant is a perennial. I always figured that since the bases of asparagus stalks are woody and undesirable, anything lower down on the plant would be similarly tough.

You may have to try steaming a small amount yourself and see what seems to be the best option. My personal vote would be to plant this gift and receive an annual harvest for years to come.

[Alex Parker]

It seems like this is becoming a challenge! I need to start experimenting!

Alex

[jackal10]

Plant the root and enjoy the asparagus in three years time?

[dougal]

Plant the root and enjoy the asparagus in three years time?

Because it takes such an age for a plant to become established, after which it should provide a crop of spears for many, many years (decades?), it seems like vandalism to try and eat the roots.

I do wonder if there is a fundamental misunderstanding somewhere here.

[Lisa Shock]

Because it takes such an age for a plant to become established, after which it should provide a crop of spears for many, many years (decades?), it seems like vandalism to try and eat the roots.

I do wonder if there is a fundamental misunderstanding somewhere here.

I kind of wondered this myself. The asparagus at my parents' house was already in the garden when we moved there, and the house had been unoccupied for about 15 years prior to us purchasing it. That section of the garden, which also had rhubarb, was always treated with care and respect.

[onrushpam]

I kind of wondered this myself. The asparagus at my parents' house was already in the garden when we moved there, and the house had been unoccupied for about 15 years prior to us purchasing it. That section of the garden, which also had rhubarb, was always treated with care and respect.

I wonder also...

I worked hard to get a fabulous bed of asparagus and rhubarb going at our last home in Missouri. It was just becoming very productive when we moved. The people who bought our house plowed it under.

I'm thinking maybe the question is about what to do with the bottom part of the asparagus stalks? Some good soup can be made from those trimmings.