Asparagus welcomes warm season

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By Elizabeth Cohen /(Binghamton, N.Y.) Press & Sun-Bulletin | Wednesday, May 7, 2008 12:36 PM CDT | () comments

(GANNETT NEWS SERVICE) One of spring's early perks is fresh asparagus. Buy this Photo

Everyone has their own telltale signs they watch for come spring. The tulips are up and turning their multi-colored faces toward the sun. Also, there are brightly colored crocuses, emerald-green lawns and birds you haven’t seen for six months.

For Jake Hizny, an executive corporate chef at Maines Paper & Food Service Inc. in Conklin, N.Y., there is one thing that screams spring above all: “When I see asparagus in the retail stores, I know spring has arrived.”

Spring is indeed when asparagus comes in season. Not only does it reappear in grocery refrigerator cases, but if you live near a stream or river, you may find wild asparagus sprouting up voluntarily.

The stalky vegetable is wonderful to serve as a side course to breakfast, lunch, brunch or dinner in any number of dishes ranging from eggs Benedict to quiches to salads. Asparagus is also wonderful as a side dish, simply prepared, steamed and drizzled with olive oil and salt or a squeeze of lemon. If you aren’t into counting calories, soak it in butter with a wedge of fresh lemon.

Most of the year, the price tag on asparagus is prohibitive, but starting at the end of February, when its season begins, the price begins to slide down considerably. Right now, it’s a downright bargain veggie, competing with the iceberg lettuce. And now is the best time to buy it, too, because it is more likely to be fresh, crisp and without wilt. Gently steamed and then draped over a salad, wrapped with bacon or incorporated in a bisque or stew, it adds a flavorful spring taste that can spice up any meal and lend a touch of elegance.

Some people prefer the thicker stalks, but the thin-stalked asparagus probably has more of a flavor punch and is particularly elegant.

When choosing asparagus, Hizny says, look for purple-tinged, tight-budded spears. They should be evenly sized, at least one-half-inch in diameter and at least two-thirds green. Avoid any stalk with a large, woody, hard white base.

“Asparagus is best cooked the same day it is purchased, but it will keep up to four days in the refrigerator,” Hizny advises.

To store it, remove the end of the stalks and place them upright in one inch of water and cover with plastic wrap.

How to prepare asparagus

Asparagus is high in vitamins B6 and C. It is also chock-full of fiber, which is great for digestion.

But it may be the folate and glutathione that make it a top nutrition food. Folate is good for pregnant women; research indicates it lowers the probability of birth defects while glutathione is an anti-carcinogen and antioxidant.

* Steaming is the preferred method of preparation for many chefs when it comes to asparagus. There are even handy asparagus steam pots available with their own strainers included. (You will recognize these tall, skinny pots because there is little else you can imagine cooking inside them.) If you don’t have one of these contraptions, then you will want to tie a bundle of asparagus together with string (with the ends leveled) before placing upright in a pot with about 2 inches of water inside it. Steam for between five and eight minutes, depending on your preferred consistency. Most people like a little crunch left in the stalks, which would mean, with medium-width stalks, leaning toward the lesser steaming time, around five minutes.

* To boil asparagus, lay the stalks in a skillet with about an inch of water. Boil for up to five minutes, depending on thickness (the thicker, the longer). Another method of preparation is to lay them down in a microwave-safe baking dish, with tips to the center, in an inch of water. Cook for about 2 minutes on high.

* You also can stir-fry asparagus with noodles and other vegetables in olive oil in a wok on a stove set at a high heat for about two minutes.

* To roast asparagus, a method growing in popularity, preheat the oven to 450 degrees and place the stalks in the oven on a baking sheet or in a shallow pan. Sprinkle on olive oil for the best effect.

— (Binghamton, N.Y.) Press & Sun-Bulletin