The March of Asparagus

[torakris]

Tonight I tossed asparagus with evoo and kosher salt then wrapped them in thinly sliced smoked prosciutto. A wonderful heaven.

were they cooked?

before or after the wrapping?

[seawakim]

Will never forget being in Austria and Germany in May several times, when the white asparagus comes into season.  Ohmigiosh - it's absolutely EVERYWHERE - on restaurant menus, at roadside farm stands.  The entire population goes asparagus crazy for about 4-5 weeks while it's in season.    And it's prepared in a bajillion different ways, as soups, in omelets or crepes, as side dishes of all sorts, etc.  My personal favorite was as a very rich gratin.  Yummmy! Of course the rest of the meal was always heavy duty dumplings and schnitzel, but the asparagus was always divine.  And no matter how rich the meal, there was nothing a good shot of schnapps (or two or three) couldn't cure as an after dinner digestif 

Stateside where I don't have access to kilos of white asparagus that was just picked by farmer Wolfgang, I usually steam it upright in my asparagus pot or make a soup that's similar to Pricilla's, although doesn't sound quite as "fancy".  I set a pretty table too, but those elegant napkins sound really lovely!

I agree. White asparagus with a rich sauce or gratin are the best. I really miss them and haven't been able to find any here in the United States. I've made the effort to try to find some German restaurants who might serve similar dishes but have had no success so far.

[Wimpy]

I remember as a kid in Vienna, Austria, we used to go to a restaurant called the Marchfelderhof just outside the city which is famous for its white asparagus dishes.

I remember white asparagus with melted butter and toasted breadcrumbs... but it was many, many years ago so am not so sure.

Btw, my understanding is that white asparagus is just the green variety but grown with loose dirt covering it entirely (hence the lack of chlorophyll due to lack of photosynthesis). Perhaps someone can confirm this?

[Cook on Ice]

White asparagus is indeed just the same as green but grown in an absence of light. Never been seriously convinced of the point myself, but to each thier own.

I too find that the joy of spotting the first asparagus of the season diminishes rapidly in the months after of endless uses and "use ups". However on the first day in spring, tossed with oil, sea salt and roasted hot then dipped in lovely lemony home-made mayo is living!

Alana

[Miss J]

I've seen lots of white asparagus here in the UK, and in Paris last weekend. I've never cooked it though. Is it best steamed? I notice seawakim has eaten it in gratins or with rich sauces - is it best cooking IN the sauces, or with the sauces on the side?

I'm quite fond of "forced" veg (ie, those that have been grown with an absence of light) - they do tend to have a different flavour. At the very least, I don't knowwhat I'd do without the bright pink, tender forced rhubarb we get in the shops in January.

As for regular green asparagus, I also support steamed with incredible olive oil, lemon and black pepper, or roasted with balsamic vinegar.

[sagestrat]

I found white asparagus in Whole Foods/Fresh Fields in the PA area last week. If there's one in your area, check it out.

[Sam Iam]

Liang-pan-lu-sun

Fresh Asparagus Salad

Roll-cut 2 lbs thinner asparagus, drop in boiling water for one minute and drop in ice water. Dry. Marinate in soy sauce, a little sugar, and sesame-seed oil. Toss, and chill slightly.

Originally from Recipies:The Cooking of China, Foods of the World, Time Life Books

One of our favorites.

[col klink]

were they cooked?

before or after the wrapping?

Oh sorry, they were wrapped before I threw 'em in the oven at 400F for about 20 minutes.

[Priscilla]

Asparagus soup again last evening, only with regular heavy cream rather than creme fraiche. I think the sweeter uncultured cream is better in this dish, I am surprised to see myself type.

Also been exploring asparagus with anchovy ... very complementary flavor profile.

[Blue Heron]

I don't think anyone has mentioned pickled aspargus, but they are really quite tasty. I wait til they are in full season, and about .79 cents/lb, and buy a box full. I get together with a friend (who's been making them for years) and we make a brine with vinegar, water, salt & sugar, and then in each jar of asparagus before canning, we throw in some black pepper (and a few whole peppercorns), dill seed, a couple cloves of garlic as well as a couple of small dried red chile peppers. Process it for 10 minutes in a hot water bath. They are great to munch on or take to potlucks, too.

I'm also a fan of roasted asparagus w/balsamic and olive oil, or just simply steamed or microwaved and served with homemade mayo. I've also found some new ideas here I can't wait to try.

[Cook on Ice]

I have frequently used pickled asparagus in place of the scary celery stalk in my Ceasars. Very very nice.

[gknl]

In this month's "Food and Wine," Paula Wolfert meets Madrid chef Carlos Posadas (El Amparo) who cooks asparagus in a "modern Basque" way: coat with olive oil, season with salt, sugar and tarragon, wrap in parchment paper, and bake at 175 degrees Farenheit for 2 hours. They say that cooking at the low temperature means the asparagus doesn't generate enough steam to turn mushy. Next time I think about cooking dinner more than 2 hours in advance, I might give it a try. I probably won't deal with the salted caper, mayo and cream sauce though.

[DRColby]

Once upon a time, long ago and far away - when I lived in Wisconsin - we picked wild asparagus and ate it until we peed green... great stuff.

One of the simplest and best ways I like asparagus is to put it with some fresh herbs (including a bay leaf) in cold water, bring it to a boil, let it steep until a rich green, empty the pan and put the asparagus back in to keep it warm. Poach a couple of eggs, make some toast, put the aspagus on the toast, poached eggs on top, and then sprink with fresh parmasan cheese. Better yet add some fresh morels as well and open a bottle of French chardonnay

[KatieLoeb]

I remember as a kid in Vienna, Austria, we used to go to a restaurant called the Marchfelderhof just outside the city which is famous for its white asparagus dishes.

I remember white asparagus with melted butter and toasted breadcrumbs... but it was many, many years ago so am not so sure.

Btw, my understanding is that white asparagus is just the green variety but grown with loose dirt covering it entirely (hence the lack of chlorophyll due to lack of photosynthesis).  Perhaps someone can confirm this?

Wimpy:

The dish I'm describing it quite similar to your desription. Also may have had a bechamel or cheese sauce in it too. It's all a cholesterol laden blur...I also recall the white asparagus always being of the larger thicker type. No pencil like stalks were ever fed to me - always the large and woody bottomed ones. But once you peeled off the bottoms they were glorious

I thought they covered the asparagus with tarps to keep out the light - at least that's what the fields looked like as they were being driven past. I don't think they'd survive buried up to their "necks" like that, would they?

[Priscilla]

All these preparations sound so good. There're a couple that have been mentioned on the Dinner! discussion recently, too, that I claim for this topic.

Last evening, larger diameter stalks, peeled, blanched, shocked, etc. Made sauce Maltaise, Hollandaise with orange -- in Craig Claiborne's case also with a tiny hit of Grand Marnier and some zest, too. Really good. I had regular old orange oranges but can imagine with blood oranges it would be especially beautiful.

[snowangel]

We had some asparagus last night that was so perfect it never made it to the table. Steamed, and checked so often that it was gone before the pot was off the stove. My cousin picked it out of her cousin's garden in Iowa earlier in the day. So perfect, in fact, that it needed nothing other than fingers to foist from pot to mouth. It was the first true taste of spring I've had.

[Elissa]

Tsk, tsk. You missed the best way! Toss with sea salt or kosher salt and evoo. Roast on a rack at 400F for about 20 minutes and you're in heaven.

concurred: this 400 for 20 min recipe deelish; also good with evoo snp added somewhat later, with a hint mashed garlic, lemon juice and parsley chop.

grated pecorino at the end (wartime reggiano) melts to crisp.

Edited March 26, 2003 by lissome (log)

[Bond Girl]

Creamy asparagus soup with cream fraiche and topped with crab meat. Very Yummy.

[Moondog]

Two great standards:

The first, pan-fry (green or white, the tough skins peeled) in a little butter till slightly colored, throw in a cup of veal stock and the juice and fruit of one blood orange. Reduce. Add salt, chopped chives and white pepper to finish;

The second, boil for 3 minutes, plunge in ice and serve with a dressing made of chopped three-minute eggs, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, finely chopped spring onion and chopped chives.

[FoodMan]

In this month's "Food and Wine," Paula Wolfert meets Madrid chef Carlos Posadas (El Amparo) who cooks asparagus in a "modern Basque" way:  coat with olive oil, season with salt, sugar and tarragon, wrap in parchment paper, and bake at 175 degrees Farenheit for 2 hours.  They say that cooking at the low temperature means the asparagus doesn't generate enough steam to turn mushy.  Next time I think about cooking dinner more than 2 hours in advance, I might give it a try.    I probably won't deal with the salted caper, mayo and cream sauce though.

I did try this method a couple weeks ago and it is very good. The asparagus came out very flavorful, perfectly roasted and not mushy. I replaced the Tarragon with fresh marjoram though because my wife dislikes Tarragon and Marjoram worked perfectly. Do not skip the dressing, it went very good with the asparagus.

FM

[claire797]

The Austin egullet group tasted an awesome asparagus antipasti the other night at La Traviata. I tried to clone the recipe and I think I came pretty close.

La Traviata Asparagus

Snap tough ends off asparagus.

Slice asparagus lengthwise on the diagnol.

Splash cut asparagus with good olive oil, a bit of fresh lemon juice, a dash of pepper and a good sprinkling of Pecorino Romano cheese.

[foodie52]

The La Traviata asparagus WERE great....I think the key is to slice the asparagus really, really thinly and to get the young, skinny stalks since you are eating them raw.

[cew]

The Austin egullet group tasted an awesome asparagus antipasti the other night at La Traviata.  I tried to clone the recipe and I think I came pretty close.

La Traviata Asparagus

Snap tough ends off asparagus.

Slice asparagus lengthwise on the diagnol. 

Splash cut asparagus with good olive oil, a bit of fresh lemon juice, a dash of pepper and a good sprinkling of Pecorino Romano cheese.

sounds like the shaved brussels sprouts at lupa. yum.

[Priscilla]

Yesterday had large-diameter stalks peeled & blanched, room temp with chive mayonnaise. Very good asparagus flavor.

That sliced raw sounds good -- like the Italian very thin-sliced raw artichoke salad, except with asparagus. Will try.

[Xanthippe]

Yesterday had large-diameter stalks peeled & blanched, room temp with chive mayonnaise.  Very good asparagus flavor.

Make that green garlic mayonnaise rather than the chive, and I prepared mine the same way last evening! 'Twas tasty . . .