The Gardening Gourmet - recipes that use asparagus as the main ingredient - Recipe

Flower & Garden Magazine, March, 2001 by Kristen Prebich

* ASPARAGUS OMELETTE

* FRESH ASPARAGUS SOUP

* FARFALLE WITH ASPARAGUS AND HERBS

* ASPARAGUS IN A BALSAMIC DRESSING

The holidays are over, and the times we were so looking forward to and prepared so long and hard for have vanished for another year. In my part of the world, a lot of people truly believe that January and February are the two longest months in the calendar year, and conversations almost always include how cold it is or isn't, how much snow we are or are not getting and how many more days until the first day of spring. Aah.... the first day of spring--we eagerly await its arrival, sometimes tricking ourselves with the thought that the bad winter weather is behind us when, often, winter has no intentions of leaving just yet. However, when it appears, there is one thing we can be sure that spring will bring--the tall, succulent stalks of asparagus. Asparagus is truly the first vegetable of spring, the peak season being March to June, though you may find asparagus around much longer than that. Whether you want to grow asparagus yourself (which, by the way, is quite easy) or simply partake of its delicious flavor, read on to learn more about our first spring vegetable.

Asparagus has been around for about 2000 years, being cultivated by the ancient Greeks and Romans. They, however, not only enjoyed eating asparagus, but also found it a great way to ease a bee sting or toothache. Asparagus wasn't brought to North America until the 1700s. A member of the lily family, asparagus is also related to onions, leeks and garlic. There are two types of asparagus: green, the more popular in America, and white, the more popular in Europe. The only real difference is the way they are grown; white asparagus stalks are covered over with soil to prevent them from exposure to sunlight, which, in turn, causes photosynthesis. Today in the United States, California produces about 70% of all asparagus. Michigan, Illinois and New Jersey are also asparagus-producing states. Abroad, we look to Mexico, Peru and Chile for their asparagus.

As mentioned before, asparagus is not difficult to grow. It thrives best in full sun with deep, well-drained soil, the most popular variety being the Martha Washington. Most gardeners, rather than planting seeds, plant one-year-old crowns, meaning a root system of a year-old plant grown from seeds. The success rate is greater using this method than that of actual planting from seeds. Crowns should be planted when the soil reaches 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and rows should be at least Five feet apart to allow for maximum root circulation. Asparagus cannot be harvested until the third growing season, so assuming you plant one-year crowns, your crop will need an additional two years.

When harvesting the spears, make sure they are between seven and ten inches tall, have closed, tight tips and are thicker rather than thinner. The thicker spears are typically more tender. Simply snap, rather than cut, the spear off its tough, woody base. Asparagus is best eaten the day it is picked but will last up to five days when refrigerated. Always be sure to store asparagus in the coldest section of your refrigerator with the bottoms of the spears wrapped in a damp paper towel.

With most planting, there are always some pests or diseases that can wreak havoc on your crop. Some of the more common ones to watch out for with asparagus are Fusarium crown and root rot, asparagus rust and asparagus beetles. Frost can also put your asparagus crop at risk. If frost is predicted, be sure to cover the stalks or, better yet, harvest everything above ground.

And now, how will we serve these beautiful spears? Asparagus is a versatile vegetable that can be served at any meal in a variety of ways. It is typically steamed, grilled, roasted or often slathered with Hollandaise sauce (which hides its natural flavors). In this installment of Gardening Gourmet, I am going to show you how to prepare asparagus for breakfast, lunch and dinner, while maintaining its true state. Before I begin, there are a few pet peeves I have when it comes to prepping asparagus for cooking. First, always make sure that the tough base is removed. It can be snapped off quite easily. Second, there will be horn-like petals on each spear that proceed upward. These petals should be removed about two-thirds of the way up the stalk. A paring knife will work just fine for their removal. Now we're ready to start the day with some breakfast.

* ASPARAGUS OMELETTE

Ingredients:

3/4 lb. asparagus cut into 1-inch pieces
6 large eggs or 12 large egg whites
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 green onions (white part only) sliced thinly
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper, black or white

Method:

Steam asparagus pieces until tender, about 5 minutes; whisk eggs, Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper in a bowl until foamy. Spray large, heavy skillet with non-stick cooking spray or add 1/2 tsp. oil to prevent omelette from sticking and heat over medium-high heat. Add green onions and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add asparagus and cook until warm Reduce heat to medium and pour egg mixture into skillet, making sure asparagus and onions are evenly dispersed. Cook until eggs are softly set, 4-5 minutes. Place skillet under broiler and broil until eggs are golden and puffy, 2-3 minutes. Cut omelette in half for 2 servings. This is not only a great way to start your day, but can be a light way to end your day as well.