Sexy Asparagus – The Quintessential Spring Green

Sexy Asparagus – The Quintessential Spring Green

By Pat Crocker

The quintessential spring green is, for many North Americans, asparagus. Mexican and South American winter imports aside, Canadians especially have always celebrated late April and early May as that time of year when the lusty, assertive green fingers of local asparagus wave in triumph over winter’s long reign.

One of Western man’s oldest domesticated vegetables, asparagus is part of the lily genus and graces the walls of Egyptian tombs dating to 3000 B.C. Asparagus was enjoyed by both the ancient Greeks and Romans, mostly for medicinal reasons. It was thought, among other things, to be an aphrodisiac – and the name comes directly from the Greek meaning ‘to swell to be ripe’. It easily escapes gardens to re-seed itself and has naturalized from the Mediterranean to Siberia. One thing is for certain, people all over the world, throughout all periods of time, have plucked these luscious spears from the earth and dined on their succulent goodness soon after.   

Old-time farmers maintain that it takes bitter winters with hard-frozen ground to bring out the best asparagus crops. A perennial that takes four years to mature, asparagus crowns lie dormant for months after they set seed in early summer. Just one step behind the running maple sap, new shoots appear with the first warm days of spring.
Loaded with sulfur compounds and serving as a natural diuretic, asparagus is high in vitamins A and C and folic acid. Whether eaten raw with other crudités, steamed, simmered, roasted or stir-fried, asparagus is perfect with just a hint of butter and citrus or an Oriental sauce. Pair it with wild Arctic salmon and soy sauce, peas and pasta, or just plain toasted almonds, and it will put the finger on spring meals.

But don’t play your hand too soon – wait for local asparagus. Because it’s younger and fresher, it will be tender and so much sweeter than the imports. When the natural sugars age, they change the taste and texture of asparagus to starch, much in the same way as that of corn, so look for asparagus grown in Ontario and cook and do like the ancient Romans: harvest and cook it with great speed.

Asparagus Tips

Look for asparagus that is standing upright in 1/2 to 1-inch of fresh water. Choose straight, crisp stalks of equal size with tightly closed tips. The more compact the head, the younger the spears. Thickness of the stalk (pencil, standard or jumbo) is not an indication of tenderness – some thin ones are actually very tough. Two pounds (500 g) yields from two to four servings.

Like all fresh produce, asparagus is best eaten fresh. Local asparagus may be refrigerated for 2 to 3 days if wrapped in damp towels, but it is best cooked immediately after harvest. Before cooking, rinse well under cold running water to remove grit. Trim ends by snapping off the tough white lower 1/4 to 1/3 of the stalk. If using the wider jumbo stalks, use a vegetable peeler to remove the tougher outer layer of skin on the entire length of the spear.

Enjoy asparagus raw with a dip or cook only until the stem is tender-crisp. Lightly steam for 5 to 10 minutes or simmer gently in salted water for 3 to 8 minutes. Before cooking, cut an ‘x’ in the bottom of each stalk. Drain and serve immediately or rinse in cold water and pat dry for dishes to be served at room temperature. Don’t add sauces until just before serving because the acid in most dressings will bleach the colour of asparagus, turning it yellow. Sauté 1-inch long diagonally cut pieces in butter or olive oil for a crisper texture. Probably the most popular method of cooking asparagus these days is to brush with olive oil and grill on the barbeque or under an oven broiler until brown, crisp and tender.

The recipes that follow were designed for thumbs-up local spears. Go ahead, eat ‘em with your fingers!

Asparagus-Cheese Burritos (Dairy or Vegan)

These burritos are a great way to enjoy fresh asparagus in season, but steamed or blanched broccoli and other vegetables step in as a replacement at other times of the year. (Serves 4)

1 lb asparagus    
1 cup ricotta cheese or soft tofu
1/3 cup shredded mozzarella or soy cheese    
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (omit for vegan version)
3 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves    
1 tsp sesame oil    
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 large, soft flour tortillas    
2 cups tomato sauce    
8 fresh thyme sprigs, optional

1. Trim off tough ends of asparagus and discard (or freeze for vegetable stock). In a large saucepan, bring 6 cups (1.5 L) water to a boil over high heat. Drop asparagus into the water. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes or just until tender. Drain and let cool.

2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, thyme and oil. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

3. Spoon about one-quarter of the cheese mixture into center of a tortilla. Spread to within 1/2 inch of the edges. Divide asparagus into 4 portions. Lay one portion in the center of tortilla. Fold in bottom and one side and roll the tortilla around the asparagus allowing the tips to extend out the top of burrito. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.

4. Place burritos seam side down on lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake in preheated (375 F) oven for 12 to 15 minutes until heated through.

5. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat tomato sauce over medium heat. Transfer burritos to serving plates and spoon about 1/2 cup of the sauce over top each. Garnish with thyme springs, if using, and serve immediately.  

Crispy Roasted Asparagus Fingers with Thai Basil Dipping Sauce

Roasting brings out the sweet, nutty flavour of asparagus and crisps the outside leaving the spears perfect for dipping. (Makes 4 servings)

2 lb fresh asparagus
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tbsp olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Wash and trim asparagus and place on lightly oiled baking sheet.

2. In a small bowl, combine garlic and olive oil. Brush over spears. Sprinkle spears with salt and pepper to taste. Roast for 10 to 12 minutes in a 400°F oven, or until spears are tender-crisp and browned on the outside.

Thai Basil Dipping Sauce

Thai basil adds a spicy note of nutmeg and clove, with undertones of citrus. If Thai basil is not available, use regular basil or a pinch of nutmeg in its place. (Makes 3/4 cup)

1/2 cup tamari or soy sauce    
3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice    
1 Tbsp rice vinegar        
2 Tbsp finely chopped green onion    
2 Tbsp finely chopped Thai basil
1 Tbsp Asian Chili Sauce*    
2 tsp honey    
1 tsp sesame oil    

1. In a small bowl, whisk together tamari, lemon juice and vinegar. Stir in green onion, basil, Asian Chili Sauce, honey and sesame oil. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

* Substitution: Asian Chili Sauce is a sweet-sour tomato chili with garlic. It is available at supermarkets and specialty food stores. If Asian Chili Sauce is not available, substitute hot tomato salsa.

Spring Herb and Asparagus Salad with Maple Mustard Vinaigrette

Chives, tarragon, thyme, mint and winter savory are probably ready to be picked now or very soon. Wash, dry and snip them to a coarse chop for this salad. (Makes 4 servings.)
salad

1 lb asparagus, trimmed, steamed and cooled
1 cup mixed fresh herbs, snipped
4 cups sorrel or fresh baby spinach
2 green onions or wild leeks, sliced thin on the diagonal
1/2 fennel bulb, sliced thin on the diagonal
vinaigrette
1/3 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt

1. In a large bowl, toss herbs, sorrel, onions and fennel together. Divide evenly on four salad plates. Divide asparagus evenly and arrange over salad greens.

2. Make vinaigrette. In a clean jar with tight-fitting lid, combine oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, mustard and salt. Shake well and drizzle over salad.

Asparagus Soup

I have always thought that asparagus was too precious to use in soup, but if you save all the coarse ends and simmer them in a vegetable stock, you will, in fact be using an otherwise discarded part of this great vegetable. (Serves 4 to 6)

1 pound fresh asparagus
2 pounds spring potatoes, peeled
6 cups vegetable stock
3/4 tsp salt, divided
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced spring onions or leeks
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup white wine or apple juice
2 cups sorrel, stems removed and thinly sliced
1/4 cup grated Asiago cheese        

1. Clean asparagus and trim the tough ends, reserving them for the stock. Cut trimmed asparagus into 1-inch pieces and set aside.

2. Dice and measure 2 cups of potatoes, set aside. Slice the remaining potatoes and combine with stock in a soup pot. Add asparagus ends, 1/2 tsp of the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, lower the temperature and simmer until the potatoes begin to break apart, about 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove and discard tougher parts of the asparagus. Pass potatoes through a food mill or purée them in batches, in a blender and return to the pot over low heat.

3. Meanwhile in a skillet over high heat, heat the oil. Add the onions, reduce heat and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the wine and cook until reduced to less than half.

4. Stir in the reserved diced potatoes and asparagus pieces, 2 cups of the stock and the remaining 1/4 tsp salt. Bring to a light simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and keep simmering until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the remaining potato-asparagus purée and the sorrel. Cook over low heat until sorrel is wilted, about 5 minutes. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with Asiago cheese.

Resources
• Ontario Asparagus Growers’ Marketing Board, lists all of the asparagus growers in Ontario along with the other produce available throughout the growing season. Take a drive and enjoy the best of Ontario’s asparagus crop, but check with individual farms for availability first. The site also gives recipes and a downloadable brochure. 1283 Blueline Road, Box 587, Simcoe, ON, N3Y 4N5; 519-426-7529, info@asparagus.on.ca

• PickYourOwn.org lists pick your own farms by area with one close to Toronto, gives picking tips, canning directions and links to other produce sites. This site claims March to April as the best time to pick asparagus, but check with individual farms before heading out.

For Pat Crocker, asparagus, fiddleheads and wild leeks are her primary foods during April and May. She gets her fix from a local farm and uses asparagus almost every day while in season. “I think that asparagus was put here to cleanse our systems after the long winter, and since it is only available for such a short time, we should indulge and enjoy it as much as possible while we can”, she muses.

Pat is a Culinary Herbalist, photographer, writer, and lecturer. Author of several award-winning books, Pat’s latest book, The Vegetarian Cook’s Bible, will be in bookstores this spring. Her other books include The Healing Herbs Cookbook, The Juicing Bible, and The Smoothies Bible, all available at bookstores throughout Canada and the United States. Write to: 536 Mill Street, Neustadt, ON, N0G 2M0, pcrocker@riversongherbals.com. (www.riversongherbals.com)

The following two recipes, along with the photos on page 22, come to us courtesy of Foodland Ontario.

Balsamic-Glazed Asparagus

Here’s an easy, healthy and tasty way to prepare this short-season vegetable.
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Baking Time: 8 to 10 minutes
(Serves 4)

1 lb (500 g) Ontario Asparagus, trimmed
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Toss asparagus with oil, salt and pepper; place in single layer on baking sheet. Bake in 400F oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender-crisp. Meanwhile, in small saucepan, bring vinegar to boil; reduce heat and simmer until reduced by half and syrup-like, about 5 minutes. Place roasted asparagus in serving dish; drizzle with vinegar reduction.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Asparagus Pizza

This is a delicious blend of flavour and colour.  Substitute your favourite fat-reduced cheese for a change of style.
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Baking Time: 8 minutes
(Makes 8 slices)

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Ontario Onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp granulated sugar
8 to 10 stalks Ontario Asparagus, cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) pieces
1 medium Ontario Greenhouse Tomato, chopped
1 tsp dried basil
Salt and pepper
1 baked 12-inch (30 cm) whole wheat pizza crust (or spelt)
3 Tbsp chèvre cheese, crumbled

In frying pan, heat oil over medium-high heat; sauté onion and garlic until softened and golden, about 8 minutes. Add vinegar and sugar; stir. Add asparagus; cook for 3 minutes.  Add tomato, basil, and salt and pepper to taste; cook for 1 minute.

Spread asparagus mixture over pizza crust; top with chèvre cheese. Place pizza directly on middle oven rack (for softer, chewier crust, bake on cookie sheet).  Bake in 375F oven (or according to pizza crust directions on package) for 6 to 8 minutes or until crust browns. Broil for 2 minutes or until cheese begins to bubble.