The age (and size and flavor) of asparagus

My earliest memories of asparagus are with my parents driving about the Basin and picking it as it grew along the roads, or wherever they found it. I don’t recall where for sure.

I’m not the biggest fan of asparagus, because it is so easy for it to be woody or overcooked. Imagine my horror seeing some beautiful young specimens being steamed to oblivion before serving, or picking out the strings from your teeth from far too mature pieces.

My personal preference is spears the roughly the diameter of pencils, trimmed slightly, and cooked just enough that there is still a bit of crispness left, a process that is quite short. The bigger spears you get have their place, such as in being pickled. I could eat those all day.

An extremely simple way to prepare asparagus is to heat your broiler to high, then sort your asparagus by size, so that you don’t have thin pencil-like pieces next to thick stalks. Place like sizes on a baking pan and lightly season with salt and pepper. Place on the closest rack to the broiling element and allow to brown slightly before serving. They should still have a bit of bright and cheery green to them, not a drab olive-green color, when done.

GRILLED ASPARAGUS

1 pound fresh asparagus

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup Teriyaki sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Water

Mix together sauces and vinegar. Place in trimmed and washed asparagus. Add only enough water to cover. Let stand for 30 minutes. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil grate. Lightly coat the spears with the oil. Grill over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or to desired tenderness.

RICE WITH ASPARAGUS

2 1/2 pounds asparagus

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup white rice

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/3 cup butter

Cook asparagus in boiling water until al dente. Drain and plunge in ice water. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Cook rice in wine and reserved cooking liquid. Adjust seasonings. Layer cooked rice with asparagus in a shallow buttered pan, saving the best looking spears to arrange on top. Sprinkle with cheese, dot with butter, and broil until the cheese has melted and the top is brown.

ASPARAGUS AND SAUSAGE CASSEROLE

1 pound pork sausage

12 ounces fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces

8 ounces cream cheese, chunked

1/2 teaspoon thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

2 tubes crescent rolls

1 egg

2 tablespoons water

4 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a skillet over medium high heat, brown the sausage until crispy edges form. Add the asparagus and sauté lightly to soften. Reduce heat to medium low and stir in cream cheese until it melts. Mix in seasonings. Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Open one of the roll packages and line the bottom of the pan, pinching the seams together. Pour asparagus mixture over pastry; sprinkle on cheese. Open second roll of crescent dough. On a floured surface, roll out the rolls and seal the seams, making a square the size of the baking pan. Place on the asparagus mixture. In a small bowl mix together egg and water; brush over pastry. Sprinkle on Parmigiano cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until top is golden brown.

ASPARAGUS ROLLS

1 pound asparagus spears, tough end removed

4 to 6 slices Swiss or Provolone cheese

4 to 6 slices smoked turkey breast

Ground black pepper

4 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Lower asparagus into the water, and cook for 1 minute, 2 minutes if the spears are thick. Lay one slice of meat on a plate. Layer a slice of cheese on top of the slice of meat. Place 3 to 4 asparagus spears at one end of the cheese and meat, and sprinkle with black pepper to taste. Roll the cheese and meat up over the asparagus, and secure with a toothpick. Place asparagus rolls in a casserole dish. Once all of the asparagus rolls have been arranged in the casserole dish, pour melted butter over the entire dish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crumb mixture has formed a crust over the asparagus rolls.

STIR FRIED BEEF WITH ASPARAGUS AND SNOW PEAS

1 pound lean sirloin steak, trimmed of fat

3 tablespoons dry sherry

2 tablespoons dark sesame oil

1 tablespoon grated gingerroot

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1 teaspoon safflower oil

2 green onions, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

3/4 pounds asparagus, cut into 1 inch lengths

1/2 cup red bell pepper, cut into strips

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

2 tablespoons arrowroot powder

1 cup snow peas, trimmed

Cut steak into thin strips. Place in a large bowl with sherry, sesame oil, gingerroot, and garlic. Let marinate 15 minutes. Heat wok over medium-high heat and add safflower oil. Stir-fry green onions, asparagus, and bell pepper for 2 minutes, then remove to a platter and keep warm in oven. Add steak and marinade to wok and stir-fry for 3 minutes. In a small bowl combine oyster sauce and arrowroot. Add to steak and cook for 1 minute. Add vegetable mixture and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Toss in snow peas, cover wok, and cook for 1 minute. Serve immediately.

ASPARAGUS QUICHE

1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

10 slices bacon

1 10 inch unbaked pie crust

1 egg white, lightly beaten

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups half and half cream

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups shredded Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place asparagus in a steamer over 1 inch of boiling water, and cover. Cook until tender but still firm, about 2 to 6 minutes. Drain and cool. Place bacon in a skillet and cook until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside. Brush pie shell with beaten egg white and sprinkle crumbled bacon and chopped asparagus into it. In a bowl, beat together eggs, cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Sprinkle Swiss cheese over bacon and asparagus. Pour egg mixture on top of cheese. Bake uncovered until firm, about 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before serving.