Asparagus season is here! Grocery stores have huge stacks of fresh asparagus right now. It's abundant, so it's cheap! Today is your opportunity to indulge when the quality is at its peak.
Yes, the beautiful green stalks are incredibly delicious, but they are a nutritional powerhouse, too! You don't need to smother it in a cheesy sauce. Here's a way to eat it naked and enjoy it!
When I was growing up, my mom would occasionally splurge and buy a can of asparagus. For us, It was a luxury, and we each got a spear or two. When I look back, the asparagus was pale and mushy stuff, but mom acted like it was a treat. So, around that table of six, it always was! She was a clever momma and did her best to broaden our culinary horizons.
Years later, I was the momma encouraging a love for vegetables. When we moved to the farm, the previous owners had a large, well-established asparagus patch.
So, every spring from April to early June, we gobbled up every tender spear of fresh asparagus we could find.
I was always grateful for that little gift Roy and Marie left us at the farm. I'm sure they hated to leave it behind. It takes three years until you can harvest newly-planted asparagus.
To keep it producing, you can only cut it for about six weeks every spring. It needs time to grow its tall ferny-looking tops for the rhizomes to recharge for another season.
We left the farm years ago. If I had planted asparagus at our new home, we would have been harvesting our own for several years. Ah, hindsight.
These days, I eagerly scan parking lots along the main drag for the stands of plucky folks who grow and sell this gorgeous vegetable.
Asparagus tastes great, looks gorgeous on a plate, and pairs beautifully with springy things like tiny new potatoes or hard-boiled eggs. We love it alongside salmon or ham. It's simply perfect for Easter dinner! It would look amazing next to the dilled carrots! So here's how you do it!
Next, snap off the woody stem end of a pound of fresh asparagus. The magic is when you bend the stalk, it will snap at precisely the spot where it turns from tough to tender.
Lay the stalks in a glass baking dish. Arrange the spears "head to tail," so about half the tips are on one end of the pan and half on the other end.
Add about a tablespoon of water and arrange the lemon slices on top of the asparagus. Cover the pan with plastic film and microwave for 3-5 minutes.
Check after 3 minutes. If the stalks are easily pierced with a knife tip, it's ready to eat. It's up to you to decide on the perfect level of crispness!
Peel back a corner of the film and drain off the liquid. Now drizzle olive oil over the beautiful green stalks and shake the pan to distribute. Sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper if you like. Serve hot.
Leftovers? No such thing! I always make "plan-overs!" Pour your favorite vinaigrette or Italian dressing over the leftover spears and refrigerate. Delicious added to a salad or served with some crusty bread and a little hunk of cheese!
Not long ago, a generous serving of asparagus was center stage on our little "farm food" supper of turkey sausage, scalloped corn, and carrot coins. It gave a simple meal a little class, don't you agree?
Perfectly cooked crisp-tender fresh asparagus with a kiss of lemon.
Right now, asparagus is at its peak of quality and freshness, AND it's at the lowest prices of the year! Now that you know how quick and easy it is to prepare, I hope you'll grab some soon! I'd love to know how you like to fix asparagus. Have you ever eaten it raw, chopped into a salad?
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If you haven’t already, check out my Facebook page, where I’ll be posting easy, delicious, and family-friendly recipes every week!
Love, GB (Betty Streff)
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[…] When I plated the meal, I spooned some of the sauce over the rice, and it was delicious! Rice pilaf or brown rice would be great, too. A green salad for daughter #2’s family paired very well with it. Another yummy side for daughter #1 and her family was simple, fresh asparagus. […]