Asparagus
Growing up my neighbors had an abundant supply of
asparagus in their garden. They gave some to my mom almost weekly.
I never liked it as a kid, but my parents always had us eat a few bites.
I love it now thanks to them and our generous neighbor. The rule at my
house now is if there is something you don't like, you say, "I don't like it
yet." Someday my kids will thank me.
-Ashley
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1 c raw (6.3 oz, 180 g)
Calories 32
Calories from fat 1
Total fat 0g
Total carbohydrate 3g
Dietary Fiber 3g
Sugars 1g
Protein 5g
Vitamin A 29%
Vitamin C 73% Calcium 3% Iron 6% Also a
source of vitamin E, vitamin K, folate, potassium, and riboflavin. |
Season- year round, but spring is the
prime time Size-
different varieties have different sizes, some thin, some thick, all are
long. Sold in bunches. Different colors are available
regionally. In the United States, green is the most common. Selecting- choose
stems are that are crisp, smooth, round, straight, and have a good color.
Avoid those that are wrinkled and limp. Storage-
can be refrigerated up to a week if kept dry and in a plastic bag
Freeze- blanch, dry, and freeze up to six months. |
Boiling
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Select a stem from the bunch and bend. The woody end will snap off.
Using this as a guide, line up the tips of the stems and trim off the ends
to be the same length.
The ends are edible, just woody and tough.
If you want to keep them on, peel them with vegetable peeler to the tender
center. |
Rinse under cold water.
Pat dry with a paper towel.
Line up the ends and
trim them off with a knife. |
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil.
Add 1 1/2 t salt.
Add the asparagus. Boil 3-5 minutes
until bright green, cooked through yet still crisp. |
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Toss with butter, salt, pepper, and seasonings. |
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The ends break
off according to the age of the asaparagus. Fresher asparagus will be
good almost all the way to the ends. Older asparagus may only be good to the
middle. Any given bunch should be the same age, so only one piece is
needed for the bending test. The rest can be cut.
The boiling time
depends on the size of the stems. Thinner varieties will cook quicker
than thicker. Undercooked stems are hard to chew and don't taste very
good. Overcooked stems get mushy and turn a olive green color. |
Freezing
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Follow the
instructions above up until the boiling time. Boil only 1 minute. |
Drain and
transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking, about 5 minutes.
Drain
water. Dry on paper towels and freeze in a plastic bag 4-6 months.
Use the above method to cook and season when ready to use. |
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Try with |
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Ham and
Asparagus Carbonara |
Ham and Asparagus Quiche |
Hollandaise Sauce |
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