Ingredient: Asparagus
Category: Vegetables
Season: Mid-April to the end of June, depending on the weather:
Asparagus is eaten worldwide, commonly with eggs in China and with beef in Britain. It is not considered a delicacy as it is very cheap and easy to obtain.
Plants native to the western coasts of Europe (from northern Spain north to Ireland, Great Britain, and northwest Germany)
Only the young shoots of asparagus are eaten.
Nutrition
Asparagus is low in calories, contains no fat or cholesterol, and is very low in sodium.
It is a good source of folic acid, potassium, dietary fiber, and rutin.
The amino acid, asparagine, gets its name from asparagus, the asparagus plant being rich in this compound.
Uses
The shoots can be prepared and served in a number of ways, and are often boiled or steamed and served with hollandaise sauce, melted butter or olive oil and Parmesan cheese.
Tall asparagus cooking pots allow the shoots to be steamed gently.
In the United States, cantonese restaurants often serve asparagus stir-fried with chicken, shrimp, or beef, also wrapped in bacon.
Asparagus may also be quickly grilled over charcoal or hardwood embers.
The best asparagus tends to be early growth (first of the season) and is often simply steamed and served with melted butter.
Asparagus is best eaten as it is, hot with foaming, melted butter or hollandaise sauce poured over, or warm or cold with a good vinaigrette
Asparagus can also be pickled and stored for several years.
Some brands may label them as "marinated" which means the same thing.
The bottom portion of asparagus often contains sand, and as such proper preparation is generally advised in cooking asparagus.
To cook asparagus:
Take each stalk in both hands and bend and snap off the woody end
Trim the ends with a knife to make them neater.
Lay the asparagus stalks on an opened fan steamer (or an ordinary steamer will do), they can be piled one on top of the other.
Place the steamer in a frying pan or saucepan, pour in about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of boiling water from the kettle, then season with salt, put a lid on and steam for 5-6 minutes, or until they feel tender when tested with a skewer
Serve the asparagus on hot plates with some sauce poured over the tips.
Pick them up with your hands and eat down to the tough ends, dipping in the sauce after each bite.
Don't forget to have finger bowls and napkins at the ready.
1 lb 4 oz (570 g) of asparagus will serve 4 as a starter
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