Season’s Harvest: Asparagus
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Daffodils blooming, birds chirping, and asparagus popping up in the grocery store – those are the sure signs of Spring. Asparagus is a veggie that’s often viewed as a little intimidating, but don’t let that sturdy little stem fool you. Asparagus is packed with nutrition and can be included in tons of delicious dishes. Do yourself a favor, bring some home today!
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How do I know if I’m picking out the best stems?
Look for bunches that have very tightly closed tips and no flowering. Asparagus should always be bright green and firm. (There’s a variety of white asparagus; in that case the color should be light ivory.) I’ve heard people claim that slender asparagus is more tender or that thick asparagus is more hearty, either way, size is a matter of preference. Determine what size works best for the dish you’re planning. In almost all cases, be sure to remove the “woody” portion of the stem. This portion tends to be very tough, fiberous and bitter.
How do I store asparagus?
Asparagus is always best when served the day you buy it, but we all know about “good intentions.” If you aren’t able to prepare it the same day, it will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Just stand the asparagus in a glass with a little bit of water and store in the fridge. You can also wrap the ends with a damp paper towel, place in a paper bag and store in your fridge’s crisper. Basically you want to keep the ends moist; this helps it from drying out and retains “freshness.”
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Do you have a favorite way of preparing asparagus? Please share your tips and recipes in the comment section or on Blue Eyed Yonder’s Facebook page.
Comments (5)
I love asparagus but no one else in my house enjoys it. I like it grilled or roasted with a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper and maybe a squeeze of lemon. Simple.
Oh yeah and one more tip: Choose a piece and hold it with both hands toward the cut end and bend it until it snaps so you know about how much of the woody end to discard before cooking. You can usually get away with using that one as a gauge for the rest of the bunch unless you really just like snapping each piece.
Now I need to go to the grocery store.
I love the tip about holding the asparagus with two hands. All this talk about asparagus got me in the mood… we dipped out for vegetable fried rice for dinner. Delish!
I love this! such a pretty layout. I also looove asparagus.
I love roasting it too – drizzling the olive oil over the spears, then sprinkling it with salt and pepper – roasting it for 20-30 minutes at 400. Sooooooo good.
I don't think I have ever roasted asparagus. I'll definitely have to try it that way. I always blanche mine and drizzle with olive oil and salt/pepper. Love all the tips!