ASPARAGUS : A DELICACY OF SPRING.Byline: Judith Blake Seattle Times Hooray for spring! With it comes asparagus season, when the vegetable is in plentiful supply and available at the lowest prices of the year. Before you get your fill either au naturel or in the recipes that follow, here are some facts from the asparagus fields: An asparagus spear can grow 7 to 9 inches in a single day. A spear that's barely poking out of the ground early in the morning can be ready to harvest by day's end. Asparagus stalks continue to grow even after they're picked; packing crates must have extra space to accommodate growth. Asparagus is gender-confused; some, but not all, plants have both male and female functioning parts. Washington is one of the country's leading producers of asparagus. Washington and California each produce about 40 percent of the national asparagus harvest. Asparagus lovers disagree over which stage of asparagus tastes best. Some like firm, young, slender spears, while others prefer thicker, more flavorful, mature stalks. When buying asparagus, look for spears with tight, non-seedy heads, and stalks that don't appear dry, limp or woody. To keep stalks from drying out at home, store them upright in a glass of water in the refrigerator, or wrap a damp paper towel around their base, put in a plastic food bag and refrigerate re·frig·er·ate tr.v. re·frig·er·at·ed, re·frig·er·at·ing, re·frig·er·ates 1. To cool or chill (a substance). 2. To preserve (food) by chilling. . Asparagus is a good source of vitamin A vitamin A also called retinol Fat-soluble alcohol, most abundant in fatty fish and especially in fish-liver oils. It is not found in plants, but many vegetables and fruits contain beta-carotene (see and folic acid folic acid: see coenzyme; vitamin. folic acid or folate Organic compound essential to animal growth and health and needed by bacteria as a growth factor. and a fair source of vitamin C vitamin C or ascorbic acid Water-soluble organic compound important in animal metabolism. Most animals produce it in their bodies, but humans, other primates, and guinea pigs need it in the diet to prevent scurvy. . ASPARAGUS WITH DRIED TOMATOES AND PINE NUTS 2 tablespoons pine nuts OR slivered almonds 6 dried tomatoes Water 1 1/2 pounds asparagus, ends snapped off, soaked in cold water to remove any grit 2 tablespoons olive oil olive oil, pale yellow to greenish oil obtained from the pulp of olives by separating the liquids from solids. Olive oil was used in the ancient world for lighting, in the preparation of food, and as an anointing oil for both ritual and cosmetic purposes. 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/8 teaspoon salt Freshly ground black pepper black pepper or pepper Perennial, woody climbing vine (Piper nigrum) of the family Piperaceae, native to India; also, the hotly pungent spice made from its berries. In a small skillet, toast pine nuts over medium heat until they just start to color. Remove from heat and let stand, shaking skillet occasionally, until nuts are toasted. Set aside. Cover dried tomatoes with boiling water and let stand until softened, about 20 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Sliver with a pair of kitchen scissors scissors Cutting instrument or tool consisting of a pair of opposed metal blades that meet and cut when the handles at their ends are brought together. Modern scissors are of two types: the more usual pivoted blades have a rivet or screw connection between the cutting ends . Bring a large skillet of water to a boil; add asparagus and cook 5 to 7 minutes, until just tender. Pour off water and drain briefly on paper towels. Put back into hot skillet with pine nuts, tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper
NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING: 80 calories; 3 grams protein; 6 grams fat; 5 grams carbohydrate; 96 milligrams sodium; 0 milligrams cholesterol. ASPARAGUS WITH SHERRY VINEGAR Sherry Vinegar, or more properly "Vinagre de Jerez", is a gourmet wine vinegar made from Sherry. It is produced in the Spanish province of Cádiz and inside the triangular area between the city of Jerez de la Frontera and towns of Sanlúcar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa María, AND CHIVES chives alliumschoenoprasm. 2 pounds asparagus Water 2 tablespoons butter OR margarine 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 medium clove garlic 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar 1/4 teaspoon salt Freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives Snap ends from asparagus; peel if desired. Bring a large flat pan of water to a boil; add asparagus and cook 8 minutes. Test for doneness. Drain. In a large pan, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Saute garlic until golden; remove from pan. Stir in sherry vinegar, salt and pepper. Put asparagus into pan, shaking pan gently to coat. Transfer to a platter and sprinkle with chives. Makes 8 to 10 servings. NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING: 37 calories; 1 gram protein; 3 grams fat; 2 grams carbohydrate; 66 milligrams sodium; 6 milligrams cholesterol. ASPARAGUS WITHPINE NUTS AND RAISINS 2 tablespoons pine nuts Water 1 1/2 pounds asparagus, ends trimmed and stems peeled 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon salt Freshly ground black pepper to taste 3 tablespoons golden raisins 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese a kind of cheese of a rich flavor, though from skimmed milk, made in Parma, Italy. See also: Parmesan In a small pan, toast pine nuts over medium heat until golden, about 4 minutes. Watch carefully and shake pan occasionally. Bring a large skillet of water to a boil; add asparagus and cook about 5 to 7 minutes or until desired doneness is reached. Drain asparagus in a large colander. Heat olive oil in a pan with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add raisins and swirl 1 minute. Add asparagus and toss 2 minutes. Garnish asparagus with pine nuts and cheese. Makes 6 servings. NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING: 112 calories; 3 grams protein; 9 grams fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 127 milligrams sodium; 1 milligram milligram /mil·li·gram/ (mg) (mil´i-gram) one thousandth (10-3) of a gram. mil·li·gram n. Abbr. mg A metric unit of mass equal to one thousandth (10-3) of a gram. cholesterol. ROASTED GARLIC PASTAWITH ASPARAGUS ANDSHIITAKE MUSHROOMS Water 1 pound asparagus 2 tablespoons slivered almonds 2 heads roasted garlic OR 2 to 3 tablespoons roasted garlic paste (see Note) 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) low-sodium chicken broth Noun 1. chicken broth - a stock made with chicken chicken stock broth, stock - liquid in which meat and vegetables are simmered; used as a basis for e.g. soups or sauces; "she made gravy with a base of beef stock" 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon butter 1/4 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems trimmed and thinly sliced 1 pound penne OR other tube pasta 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves 1/3 cup minced parsley 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan OR Romano cheese Romano cheese is a type of cheese that is known for being very hard, salty and sharp. It is usually grated. It is different from normal cheeses because it requires more milk per pound, most water being lost in the process. There are different types of romano cheese. 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt Freshly ground black pepper to taste Start to bring a large pan of water to a boil for pasta. Snap ends from asparagus. Rinse well. Cut into 1-inch diagonal pieces. Bring another pan of water to a boil, add asparagus and cook 3 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Drain on paper towels. Place almonds in a small skillet; cook over medium heat 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let almonds finish toasting in hot pan. Chop coarsely. Squeeze roasted garlic from papery pa·per·y adj. Resembling paper, as in thickness or texture. pa  per·i·ness n.Adj. 1. skins. Combine with chicken broth and dried thyme, whisking to incorporate. Set aside. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from pan and add garlic broth; bring to a boil and continue boiling 2 minutes. Once pasta water starts to boil, add pasta and cook according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. package directions. Drain and put back into hot pan. Add garlic broth, asparagus, almonds, mushrooms and fresh thyme. Place over medium-low heat, stirring until some of liquid has been absorbed by pasta. Add parsley, cheese, salt and pepper. Stir and serve. Makes 4 to 6 servings. NOTE: To roast garlic, cut 1/2-inch from tops of heads, wrap heads separately. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven 45 to 60 minutes, until soft. NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING: 544 calories; 19 grams protein; 12 grams fat; 91 grams carbohydrate; 246 milligrams sodium; 5 milligrams cholesterol. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: (Color) no caption (Asparagus) |
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