The March of Asparagus

[col klink]

Sorry CathyL, I don't remember which book but it has a history of Texas bbq and was written by a writer for the big Houston paper. I found the chapters on Mexican and African American cotton pickers and how they formed the shape of modern bbq styles absolutely fascinating.

What kind of bouillon? Chicken? Pork? Beef? I suppose it depends on which meat you smoke. I also like the sugar idea and I'm thinking of adding some vinegar too to round out the flavor.

[JAZ]

Anyone else ever wrapped a little prosciutto around the stalks before grilling or roasting? Pretty tasty. Another prosciutto idea is to spread a mixture of cream cheese and grated parmesan or asiago on a piece of prosciutto and wrap that around two or three stalks of blanched (till crisp-tender) and cooled asparagus. Then drizzle a balsamic vinaigrette over for a great first course.

And I do still steam or blanch it when I'm serving it with hollandaise, which, cliche as it is, I still adore. Especially orange hollandaise.

[guajolote]

Asparagus goes surprisingly well with morels.

Yes, seasonal vegetables at their best (add some small spring onions).

Fat or thin? I like fat.

2 months until asparagus season here.

[HungryChris]

Marinated in evoo with a little sea salt and freshly grated pepper over night and tossed onto a hot grill and rolled about until they color is my current fav.

If the weather isn't too good, I'll preheat the oven to 500F and cook them in a little cake pan or sizzle platter until they sizzle a bit when I roll them about.

I also like to steam them until their color blooms, pitch them in ice water, pat them dry and serve them as an appetizer with a little Gorganzola dip. These steamed beauties also work well in a salad ( as does a little Borcoli prepared in the same fashon).

[IrishCream]

I don't remember which book but it has a history of Texas bbq and was written by a writer for the big Houston paper. I found the chapters on Mexican and African American cotton pickers and how they formed the shape of modern bbq styles absolutely fascinating.

Perhaps "Legends of Texas Barbecue Cookbook" by Robb Walsh.

[indiagirl]

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

hmm, let's see

grilled

stir fried with a little olive oil and garlic

soup

quiche

stir fried with mustard seeds, asafoetida and a touch of garlic, sometime i add yoghurt, a la raita

risotto - yes, love asparagus risotto

wrapped in puff pastry

steamed, once

[CathyL]

Sorry CathyL, I don't remember which book but it has a history of Texas bbq and was written by a writer for the big Houston paper. I found the chapters on Mexican and African American cotton pickers and how they formed the shape of modern bbq styles absolutely fascinating.

What kind of bouillon? Chicken? Pork? Beef? I suppose it depends on which meat you smoke. I also like the sugar idea and I'm thinking of adding some vinegar too to round out the flavor.

The Robb Walsh book - I have to get that.

Chicken or beef bouillon is what's suggested in Smokestack Lightning,, Colonelissimo. (Is there pork bouillon??) Veal demiglace would be good, I bet.

[Rhea_S]

Aren't you all getting sick of asparagus yet? It used to be my favourite veggie, but it hasn't been appealing lately. I've made it every way listed above and all delicious, but now I think I need an asparagus hiatus. I have one bunch going slimey in one of the fridge drawers.

[Bashful3]

REad most of the replies, and didn't find my standard prep for asparagus: microwave, covered, about four minutes to a pound of asparagus.

Sauce, for hot or cold: pesto mayonnaise

[Andrew Fenton]

When guests are coming over, I do asparagus this way:

Steam them briefly (like 1-2 minutes), then chill in ice water. Tie them up in bundles of three with a chive. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, and put a little Parmesan on them, and broil for another minute. It's a little Martha Stewart-y, but my friends always dig it.

[Richard Kilgore]

Priscilla --- In "Simple French Food", Olney talks about boiling them briefly and serving with salt, pepper, olive oil and vinegar. As an aside he mentions using leftovers cold, tossed in butter, in a salad or omlette, gratineed, and in a souffle. He also includes asparagus tips in a discussion of Vegetable Fritters.

[Priscilla]

All right Colonel and CathyL and your smoked cabbage. I SAW that the method specified a STICK of butter tucked inside. You fool NO ONE with all this no-so-thinly-veiled bouillon-cube subterfuge.

Yes, Rhea S, that is exactly of which I speak. But (at least here in SoCal) asparagus season has just begun, so I'm trying to maximize use while minimizing asparagus appetite fatigue.

And thank you Richard Kilgore, for the Richard Olney specifics. He sure did serve asparagus omelette a lot, and also was respectfully frugal with food, so I can see how he had the leftover asparagus.

[col klink]

Colonelissimo.  (Is there pork bouillon??)  Veal demiglace would be good, I bet.

Yes! I picked some Knorr pork and fish bouillon at my local Asian grocery store. But they're no big deal. If I have room on the smoker Friday or Saturday (possibly Saturday) I'll throw on the cabbage and asparagus.

[Andrew Fenton]

Thanks to this topic, I made steamed asparagus with aïoli for dinner. SO satisfying.

[NeroW]

I saw my first ass-per-grass in the store last Friday. Drizzled them in e.v.o.o., tossed with little red potatoes, and roasted with a couple of halibut steaks. Mmm.

Can't prepare asparagus soup since unfortunate blender-related incident last spring (involving my very burnt hands and a panicked cat covered with green soup).

Have steamed it, then served as a starter with wasabi mayonnaise. Also tied with a chive. Tres Martha. Had an ex-boyfriend whose parents have a big old house on a former asparagus farm. Their yard was teeming with the stuff. Fond memories of stumbling about, looking for stalks.

[col klink]

Tried something new tonight, breaded and fried with a spicy ponzu sauce. It's not quite as good as roasting but it's really, really tasty. I'm now about to throw some asparagus on the smoker.

[SobaAddict70]

Try it in a flan. Maybe a little white truffle shaved on top. (it doesn't need that really though)

But then again, I love savory flans, so that's just my bias speaking.

Soba

[Priscilla]

Colonel what kind of frying please elaborate if you have the inclination.

Last evening, risotto with asparagus, asparagus blanched & shocked for color quality, stirred in with care, for fahncy.

[guajolote]

asparagus tempura is yummy

[col klink]

Colonel what kind of frying please elaborate if you have the inclination.

Breaded in panko and fried in peanut oil in my skillet. Mmmmm.

The asparagus in the smoker experiment was worthy but didn't really pan out. It tasted like it was grilled. OK, not but as good as roasting and frying.

[torakris]

My new Japanese cookbook has a recipe for aspargus to be wrapped with a very thinly sliced piece of pork, seasoned, rolled in flour, then egg. then in sesame seeds. It is then roasted and served with soy and karashi (Japanese mustard).

Can't wait to give it a try.

[col klink]

I'd eat it!

[pjs]

The stir-fry Beef with Asparagus recipe from V. Lee has always worked for me. Also P. Franey has a recipe for a side dish where asparargus are sauteed in butter and finished with shoyu, sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds that I use often. I need to try the roasting method to expand the repertoire.

PJ

[nervousnelli]

Steamed asparagus spears are a nice addition to eggs benedict.

[col klink]

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