Asparagus: Verdant Envoy of Spring

My first introduction to cooking asparagus came while I was attending culinary school in the late 80's. I had seen it at the "gourmet" market along with other intimidating vegetables like artichokes, kohlrabi and fennel. They fascinated me, but they were expensive and I didn't know what to do with them. There was no Food Network or Epicurious to turn to for guidance, Martha Stewart was just getting started and the foodie revolution was just beginning to move inland from the coasts.

Even though asparagus is now available almost all year round in most grocery stores, I think it's at its peak from March through June and consider it a harbinger of spring along with strawberries, new potatoes and fresh peas.

A member of the lily family, asparagus was cultivated by the ancient Egyptians and highly prized by the Greeks and Romans. The Greek word aspharagos means, "as long as one's throat," and it is said the vegetable derived it's name from the practice of enthusiastic diners swallowing the vegetable whole.

The French considered asparagus to be an aphrodisiac and Louis XIV was so enamored of the slender green that he had special greenhouses built so he could enjoy it year round.

Asparagus contains no fat, cholesterol or sodium, is abundant in vitamins A, and serves up at 35 calories per cup. It is also a natural diuretic.

When purchasing asparagus, look for uniform green color, straight stalks and compact, pointed tips. I prefer my asparagus to be no thicker than a pencil. Anything thicker will have to be peeled. White asparagus, once found only in Europe or expensive restaurants, is now becoming commonplace in upscale and organic markets. It is grown underground to prevent it from becoming green and is thicker and smoother than it's green counterpart.

Asparagus is best cooked the same day it is purchased. If this is not possible the best way to store it for up to two days is to place the stalks upright in a container, such as a wide mouth glass tumbler or empty canning jar, with about an inch of water at the bottom, in the refrigerator.

Prepare asparagus for cooking by first breaking off the bottom of each stalk by bending the spear until it snaps off easily. You can save these bottom parts for future use by storing them in the freezer until you have enough to make a pureed asparagus soup. Unless your asparagus in very fresh and pencil thin, you will need to peel the stalks with a vegetable peeler to remove any scales and stringy skin. Stop at least an inch from the tip of the stalk.

There are several was to cook asparagus, the most common being blanching or steaming. I prefer to blanch my asparagus in a large pot of boiling water for 1-3 minutes depending on the thickness of the stalk, and then plunge it into cold water to stop the cooking.

Asparagus can also be grilled or baked. For these methods, you will want to use the slightly thicker stalks. After peeling and rinsing the stalks, toss them in a pan with olive oil, kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. You can also add finely minced garlic if you like. Bake in a 375-degree oven for about 20 minutes, turning the stalks and checking for doneness after 10 minutes, or grill over medium heat, turning frequently until cooked through but still a bit crisp.

Blanched asparagus can be served as a simple but elegant appetizer wrapped in thinly sliced strips of prosciutto or as part of a crudite platter. Tossed with a simple mustard vinaigrette and garnished with capers and chopped hard boiled egg, it makes a delicious light salad.

Mustard Vinaigrette

1/3 cup white wine vinegar

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp. chopped parsley

1 Tbsp. chopped chives

3/4 cup olive oil

pinch of salt and pepper

Whisk together vinegar, mustard, herbs, salt and pepper. Continue whisking while slowly adding olive oil.