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| Asparagus Information |
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About Asparagus: Asparagus is a green vegetable that resembles a spear with a budding head. Native to the Mediterranean region, the entire spear is edible. Cato gave excellent growing instructions for asparagus as early as 200 BC. White asparagus comes from the process of etiolation, which is the deprivation of light.
Botanical Name: Asparagus officinalis, is derived from the Greek asparagos and the Persian asparag, referring to tender spears or shoots.
Common and Other Names: asparagus, speargrass, spargel, esparrago, asperge, asparago, espargos
Asparagus Availability: Although fresh asparagus is available year-round in most markets, prime season is in spring, from February to June with April being the most active harvest month in the northern hemisphere.
Asparagus Selection: Select firm, straight, smooth, rich green stalks with tightly-closed tips. Ridges in the stems and a dull green color are an indication of old age. The stalks should not be limp or dry at the cut. Choose stalks of uniform thickness for more control in the cooking process.
Asparagus Varieties and Forms: Common asparagus varieties include green asparagus, violet or purple asparagus, and wild asparagus. Asparagus is available fresh, frozen, and canned.
Asparagus Storage: Do not wash asparagus before storing and never soak it. Trim the ends of fresh asparagus and stand them upright in a jar with about an inch of water in the bottom. Cover with a plastic bag and store spears in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Miscellaneous Asparagus Information: Many chefs peel the lower stalks to avoid any woody strings, but others insist this is not necessary with properly selected, thin, fresh asparagus. Peeling is recommended for thicker stalks.
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| Asparagus information and recipes |
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Though asparagus is usually available year-round these days, spring is when you'll find it the most affordable.
Asparagus is always eaten cooked, usually boiled or steamed, but it can also be cooked in the microwave or added to stir-fry dishes. Asparagus is delicious with lemon and butter, tossed with Parmesan cheese or a creamy pasta, or marinated and served cold or warm as a salad. It goes particularly well with ham and chicken, but serve it with any meat or poultry.
The tough, woody ends of the stalks will snap off with a little pressure, but some people prefer to cut off even less and peel the tough skin off the lower part. Leftover trimmings can be blanched, frozen, and used later in stock or soup. The key to tasty asparagus is to cook only until it can be pierced with a fork, usually no more than 10 minutes.
Overcooking causes asparagus to lose flavor, nutrients, and color. To boil asparagus, use a non-iron skillet with enough salted water to cover the asparagus. For more even cooking and easier removal, you can tie the stalks together in a bundle. If you cook asparagus often, you might want to buy a special asparagus steamer. They're tall and narrow with a basket insert. The asparagus stands in the basket with the tips above the water. The tough bottoms are thoroughly cooked in the boiling water while the tips are cooked by the steam. |
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