BABZ BITES
It’s hard to believe we are already a few weeks closer to spring and only a few short weeks away from the snow and ice. The sunshine gazing through the sky on a cold day puts hope in the air.
I begin to crave a different diet as soon as I feel a few rays on my shoulders. Soon enough, we will be able to gaze across the rolling Kentucky hills and see tender shoots of asparagus beginning to push their way through the Earth. The area supermarkets certainly are ready for the spring food additions. Asparagus could be found in green and purple, and on sale at the store this week. I couldn’t fight it any longer. There’s never a bad time to enjoy asparagus and the ways to enjoy it are countless.
A member of the lily family, this simple veggie can be found in green, white, and even purple shades. Early asparagus is pencil-thin, but as the season grows, so do the firm stalks and tight tips.
A common misunderstanding about asparagus is the necessary cooking time. In fact, it’s actually best served when it isn’t completely cooked and still has a crunch.
If the only experiences you have had with asparagus involve green mush with a lemon on top, you’re in for a real treat today. Asparagus is amazing. Not all veggies can stand alone and also empower a main dish. Good with breakfast, lunch, or dinner, asparagus may be the upgrade your table needs.
As a child, there was no way I would even consider eating asparagus unless drowning the stalky vegetable in melted butter. My nose would turn up instantly at the mention of eating this delicate dish if anyone was serving it other than my mother. Even at a young age, I didn’t trust anyone else to not overcook it and make it mushy.
I can easily recall one of the first times, I cooked for friends. I knew to stick with the basics, meat and potatoes. But the plate looked boring. The colors blended and I needed something to make it pop. Firmly believing food is not just about taste, but also a visual experience the plate was clearly lacking color.
A phone call later with my grandmother, I decided I would keep with the season, and add asparagus to the plate. I simply melted lemon, garlic, and butter together and separately boiled the asparagus for three minutes. The sauce was served on the side. It was a simple meal, but the plates looked vibrant and inviting. There were a few leftovers but there sure wasn’t any asparagus left. Looking back now, I realize I doubted the little stalks and should’ve made twice as many.
Asparagus is beautifully uncomplicated. If you don’t know how to cook it you could get away with throwing some stems in some water and making a decoration out of it. But why settle for just that? Today’s recipes are a nod to keeping things straightforward and enjoying the change in season.
Good luck and enjoy!
Prep tip: Asparagus shoots should be selected with tightly closed buds and with stem ends that look freshly cut. When trimming, simply grasp the spear with both hands and snap. The stem will break at the point at which the stalk is tender. Do not discard much of the stalk even though it’s usually a little bit sweeter at the tips. Store in the refrigerator upright in an inch or two of water, covered in plastic or wrapped airtight for several days. Best fresh.
Marinated Asparagus
Serves ten. Also great to nibble on for one or two. Note: Don’t be alarmed by green asparagus losing its color. White asparagus is especially lovely to use.
15 ounces asparagus
1 teaspoon tarragon
1 teaspoon garlic salt
black pepper, freshly ground
1 cup Italian dressing
½ cup tarragon vinegar
salt, to taste
Lay asparagus in a shallow pan. Sprinkle with tarragon leaves, garlic salt and pepper. Pour dressing and vinegar over all. Refrigerate overnight.
Asparagus and Blue Cheese Appetizers
These are so delicious! I promise you can’t have just one, or two…maybe even three.
Makes around 50/preheat oven to 375 degrees
1 1 pound loaf soft white bread, crust removed
1 5 ounce jar pasteurized cheese spread with blue cheese
1 10 ½ ounce can asparagus tips, drained
¼ cup lightly salted butter
Roll each slice of bread flat with a rolling pin. Spread each slice with about 1 teaspoon of cheese spread. Put an asparagus tip along one edge and roll up bread with asparagus inside. Cut each bread roll in thirds crosswise.
Melt butter in a small saucepan or skillet over moderately high heat and remove from heat. Dip each bread/asparagus roll in the melted butter and place, seam side down, on a baking sheet.
Cover and refrigerate for one hour. At this point, rolls may be wrapped and frozen until ready to heat.
Bake for five minutes; turn and bake three minutes longer, or until crisp and brown. Transfer to a platter and serve immediately.
Roasted Asparagus with Lemon Butter
This is delicious to serve as a side with lunch or dinner, or just to make as a healthy snack anytime of day. I also love these during breakfast with eggs and bacon.
Serves four/preheat oven to 400 degrees
2 pounds asparagus, woody ends snapped off
olive oil or butter
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 lemon, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, diced
Trim ends off asparagus spears and place on a single layer baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil or slice butter and adorn the baking sheet so that the liquid will get all over the spears. Sprinkle it with salt and garlic. Adorn with lemon slices.
Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the spears. Will cook quicker than you think.
If you really wanna add a nice touch, top with crumbled feta, shaved Parmesan, or blue cheese crumbles.
Spring Asparagus Soup
6 servings
1 tablespoon butter
¼ cup chopped shallots
2 pounds asparagus
4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons crème fraiche (sour cream may be substituted)
6 spinach leaves, cut into ribbons
In a dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add shallots, saute 3-4 minutes or until soft. Remove tips from asparagus. Cut spears into 2 inch pieces; add to Dutch oven. Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 10 minutes or until spears are tender.
Remove mixture from heat; puree in blender. Return to Dutch oven. Add ¼ cup of crème fraiche and asparagus tips; simmer for 3-5 minutes or until asparagus is crisp and tender. If using sour cream, heat through but do not boil. Ladle into bowls; top each bowl with 1 teaspoon of the crème fraiche and 1 spinach leaf.
The photos and recipes used in today’s article are from the kitchen of Chef Babz (babzbites@gmail.com), with a little help from Casual Entertaining with a Flair By Ila J. Calton, 1979, and Savannah Style, A Cookbook by the Junior League of Savannah, Inc, 1980.
