When I was a child, we had a huge garden, and I still remember how excited I used to get while my first outdoor experiences sans snowsuit and all the other bulky and uncomfortable clothes of winter were traded in for a flashy 80’s fluorescent windbreaker and a pair of goulashes. I would traipse through the mushy yard through the middle of the gardens in search of what treasures could I could unearth after the long winter months. While I was always dreaming of a Tyrannosaurus Rex femur or the remains of a mummy, what I did usually find at the end of April was pretty darn exciting too. The tender little shoots of asparagus popping up through the twisted yellow and brown grass would just be peeking up, and my budding culinary mind would start to reel. Asparagus has always held a place in my heart as a treasure of spring, as it’s coming into season here soon depending on how Mother nature cooperates. It paves the way for the other soon to be seen garden treats as the sun shines longer each day, and we pack away our winter garb and trade it in for flip-flops and capris. It signs a change in what inspires us to put on the table for ourselves and family each night as well, the heavy soups and starches that we’ve bulked up on in the wintry months are getting traded in for the colorful bounty we have at our fingertips in the summer in Northern Minnesota/ Wisconsin. Asparagus is a huge culinary inspiration for me, its brilliant green color and earthy look make it as beautiful as it is delicious and healthy.
Asparagus is one of the most nutritionally well-balanced vegetables available. It contains the most folic acid of vegetables, and contains less than four calories per spear. It contains potassium, thiamin, Vitamin B6 and is an excellent source of fiber, with three grams per 5 ounce serving. It contains glutathione, or GSH, which is one of the strongest anti-carcinogen and antioxidants found within the body. It also contains Vitamin A,C, riboflavin, phosphorus and calcium.
Asparagus is rumored to have been first grown in about 500 B.C., and at that time it was mostly used for medicine which they made out of the roots. It is a perennial, so it will come back from the same root system every year. Each asparagus crown will send up spears for 6-7 weeks during the spring and early summer. The temperature determines how much time you will have to wait before more crowns show, early in the season in a few weeks here there may be 4-5 days before pickings, but as the days get longer and the temperatures get warmer, some asparagus patches need to be harvested every twenty four hours. It is a member of the Lily family, and once it is harvested and its season is through it grows into ferns that have red berries on them, and they provide sustenance for the next year’s crop. A well-tended asparagus patch will often produce for about 15 years without needing to be replanted!
There are three main varieties of asparagus, white, which is usually canned or pickled, purple, and the ever-popular one we’re used to, green. Asparagus grows wild throughout Europe, North and West Africa, Asia, the Middle East and North America, and has for a very long time. There is said to be a fresco painted on an Egyptian Tomb that dates back to 3000 BC that shows a bunch of asparagus tied in a bundle, most likely as a gift to the gods.
When searching for a bunch of asparagus, there are some things you should look for to ensure the ultimate taste and nutrition of your vegetable. The stalks should be straight, smooth, and a dark green color. The tips should be closed, not frayed or slimy, and the stems should be stiff and not flaccid when you hold them. Limp, yellow or slimy frayed asparagus is on its way to the compost bin, so it’s best you save your dollars for some quality stalks. Storing Asparagus is pretty straightforward, as long as you follow a few simple guidelines. When you purchase asparagus to have in a day or two, you can trim the ends of the asparagus and set them upright in a jar with a bout an inch of water on the bottom. You can also wrap the ends in a wet paper towel, and this will keep the asparagus in good shape until you devour it. Cover this with a plastic bat until you’re ready to use it. I wouldn’t let it sit for more than four days, or it tends to start to flop over and surrender. The stalks can be peeled if you want, but I just use the old “snap “ method, where you hold a stalk and snap it, and where it snaps is often the woody tasting tough part you don’t want anyway.
One of the more notorious side effects of eating asparagus is the effect it has on some people’s urine. Generally referred to as “asparagus pee” it gives about 40-50 percent of people a distinct smell or odor after indulging in our green pal asparagus. It is said to be due to a sulfur-containing compound known as “Methyl- Mercaptan”. It is debated amongst scientists if it’s the methyl mercaptan that causes the smell, or if it only does it to certain people who aren’t able to break down the compounds in digestion, or whether it’s just a genetic ability some people have to actually smell it. The debate rages on, but it’s mostly just interesting to ponder why this phenomenon happens with this particular vegetable.
Asparagus, like most vegetables has a place in many a dish. It can be steamed and served as a side dish with butter or Hollandaise sauce, thrown in an omelet, frittata or quiche, spun into a soup, grilled on a pizza, tossed with a stir-fry, really there are just infinite possibilities, so I’ll just stop there and give a recipe that I invented last summer when I had an impromptu dinner party. I thought it was a dead giveaway that I just pulled this one out of whatever was hanging out in my fridge, so I was really excited when my friends loved it and wanted the recipe. It’s easy, healthy and the bold colors just scream “It’s Spring!!!!!” all over your table. They can be served with hot or cold soup, or just crusty buttered bread for a light dinner or lunch.
Last-minute Asparagus Greens Salad (portions for 4 salads)
-One bag of washed and rinsed spring greens
- one ball of Goat Chevre’ with herbs (or plain if you wish)
-one bunch of asparagus, trimmed and blanched ( blanching means very lightly steamed, so they are still crunchy and somewhat firm)
-1/2 cup red onion
- 1 twelve ounce jar of marinated Artichoke hearts, sliced length-wise
-1 cup halved grape tomatoes
-1 cup marinated or fresh red pepper, diced
-1 cup of slivered toasted almonds
-1 cup croutons, (store-bought or homemade.)
Simple Balsamic vinaigrette
Dressing: (store-bought may be used also if desired)
-1/4 cup Olive oil
-1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
-2 tsp. dijon mustard
-1 t each salt and freshly cracked pepper.
Preparation: Assemble the salads with equal parts in four bowls, and top with croutons and slices of chevre. Whisk the dressing ingredients together and pour desired amounts on salad.
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