I can now put my slow cooker on hiatus, close my root cellar (if I had one), and open up my screen door — spring has arrived.
My home menu makes way for spring peas and sweet onions, baby artichokes with shaved parmesan, young spinach tossed with fresh glazed oranges, and the veteran of opening day: asparagus. Nothing signals spring more than these crisp elegant spears. Couple them with their best friend, the sugar tomato, and these new kids on the block give a much-needed playful and perky boost to our dinnertime tables.
Although asparagus is available year-round, spring is the best season for it. Tolerant asparagus farmers sow and cultivate this majestic lance for three years before harvesting the first vernal stalk.
Asparagus is high in value and low in price while in season. And don’t throw those stalk ends away. Give them a slap with the back of your knife, toss them in a pot with a little chicken stock and spring onions and simmer for an hour. Remove the stalks, chill, skim the fat from the top, add a bit of chopped Italian parsley and voila — you have soup! Serve it as a light consomme with a toasted brioche and a glass of Hogl Ried Schon-Viessling Gruner Veltliner Smaragd 2005. The perfect patio lunch on a warm spring afternoon.
Most American asparagus is the green variety, ranging from colossal to pencil-thin. The white asparagus preferred in Europe is a little milder and more delicate than its green cousin. The violet or purple type popular in Italy is the prom queen of the group. It’s sweeter and more tender than the green guys, and quite lovely on the plate.
And the next time you’re in the South of France, between lying on the beach in your skivvies and sipping wine at an outdoor cafe, try slipping on a pair of rubber boots and heading to the woods. That’s about the only place you will find the elusive wild asparagus that hides among the briars and prickly stems. I think I would rather enjoy the beach and cafe and head home at the end of the day with my market purchase of little green twigs.
Spring Asparagus and Parsley Tomatoes
4 Servings
Ingredients
15 asparagus spears
2 tablespoons fine chopped shallots
1/4 cup chopped chives
1/4 cup finely chopped Italian parsley (about 1 handful)
1/4 cup juice of lemon
1 – 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
pinch of coarse salt
1 cup grape tomatoes (about 1/2 pint)
Blanch asparagus in boiling water for about 3 minutes or until deep green. Plunge in ice water until completely cool. Pat dry and set aside.
Toss shallot, chives, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and tomatoes together.
Place asparagus on plate side by side. Place the shallot, chive, and tomato mixture along the middle of the spears. Finish with a few grinds of cracked pepper and serve.
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