Fresh local asparagus exists for only a moment in time. The pencil-thin spears show up in grocery bins and farmers’ market stalls every spring. I gather large bunches for myriad recipes.
Stored in the vegetable crisper until time to cook, they only need a fast rinse or quick bath in cool water.
I bend each spear and this intelligent veggie shows a cook precisely where to trim. It will snap in the right spot.
The slender stalks cook quickly when dropped into a skillet of boiling water. Bright and tender in minutes! (A vegetable that grows above ground should be cooked in already boiling water; those that grow below ground come to a boil along with the water.) Drain, then shock it in icy water, to keep it crisp and bright. Gently re-warm in a skillet with melted butter.
I cook more asparagus than needed to continue the feast. Then, I toss it into omelets, salads, quiche, soup, pasta and rice.
CREAMY ASPARAGUS SOUP WITH SNAP PEAS AND CHIVES
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Delicious hot or room temperature, when spring weather varies daily. When I want to show off, I nestle the bowls of soup into a larger bowl of crushed ice and tuck a few greens down into the ice for a pleasing visual.
For an elegant, silky soup, strain through a fine mesh sieve after pureeing. Garnish with chives or pea shoots (found near the microgreens) for a perky twist.
- Butter and olive oil to coat the bottom of a heavy pot
- 1-2 shallots, finely chopped
- 2-3 bunches asparagus, tips removed, steamed, and held aside
- ¾ cup snap peas, optional
- 1 large Idaho potato, cut in small cubes
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- Tarragon – fresh if possible
- Chives and/or pea shoots
Melt butter and oil together in the bottom of a heavy pot. Add shallots. Cook, stirring until shallots begin to soften.
Add asparagus spears, and pea shoots, if using, and cook stirring, 3 to 4 minutes longer.
Add potato and cook stirring 3 to 4 minutes more.
Pour in the white wine and bring to a boil for 1 to 2 minutes to cook off the alcohol. Then add the stock. Return to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes (or a little longer) until all the solids are very tender.
Puree the soup in a food processor or right in the pot using a hand-held stick blender. When it is entirely smooth, add the cream a little at a time, tasting until it is the way you like it. Sprinkle chives or pea shoots over the top.
PASTA WITH FRESH ASPARAGUS
Makes 6 servings.
Remove a cupful of the pasta cooking water to add to the sauce, by the tablespoon, in case the sauce needs thinning.
Add a few slivers of roasted red or yellow peppers to the toss.
- 1 pound rigatoni of mezze rigatoni pasta
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta
- ½ cup grated Parmigiano-reggiano cheese
- 1-2 bunches asparagus, trimmed, and sliced diagonally into 2-inch pieces
- Chives, flat leaf parsley
- Lemon zest from 2 lemons – save juice
- Lemon flavored OO for drizzling
Bring a pot of water to a boil; add a handful of salt; when it returns to a boil, add pasta, stir and cover. When it returns to a boil, remove the cover, and cook until al dente.
In the final minutes of cooking, add the asparagus to the pot. When the asparagus is bright green, drain the pot.
While the pasta cooks, whisk together the cheeses in a large bowl. Stir in the parsley, chives and lemon zest. Add salt and pepper.
Drain the pasta and add it immediately to the bowl with the cheese mixture. Toss well to mix all the ingredients. Pass with more grated cheese.
Linda Bassett lived in Marblehead for years and has worked as a cook, trained up-and-coming chefs, studied food history and led food tours. Her book, “From Apple Pie to Pad Thai,” is about local cooks and cooking.
