Asparagus season is here

Although the temperature outside isn’t completely in the range we’d expect for spring warmth, we have officially passed the vernal equinox. This is excellent news for asparagus lovers, as this vegetable harbinger of spring should be available soon. There are a number of nearby farms that produce asparagus, and you can depend on Lloyd’s Market to feature these fresh bundles of what used to be called “sparrowgrass.”

The bunches you’re currently seeing at the grocery stores (typically standing in a puddle of murky water) primarily come from growers in Mexico. You can tell the country of origin by reading the rubber band holding the bunch together. The asparagus in the photo wore a band printed with “Desert Farms Produce of Mexico.” And the spears were a little tired from their long trip here.

While most of us would agree the quality of fresh-picked produce is superior to food that travels great distances before reaching our table, asparagus tells us why. The tender, delicate asparagus spears grow from a large root system known as the plant’s crown. As soon as they’re cut from the crown, the stalks begin to lignify, depositing fibrous cellulose compounds in their cell walls.

You can readily see this if you examine a bundle of asparagus in the grocery: the cut edge of the stalks will appear whitish and woody instead of moist and green. By the time they reach your supermarket, the dried-out base can no longer absorb any moisture. When shopping, look at the cut ends of the stalks and select those that are the least desiccated.

As soon you get them home, treat them as you would a bunch of flowers. Trim off at least an inch or more until you find moist, green interior flesh. Stand the spears in a drinking glass or tall cup. Add about an inch of water and keep them in the refrigerator until ready to use.

To trim asparagus, you may have seen instructions to hold the stalk with the tip in one hand and the base in the other, then bend until it snaps. It’s supposed to break just above the fibrous section, separating the tender top at the ideal location. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case; you can unknowingly force it to break depending upon where you hold it and how you apply pressure.

The better technique for ensuring you discard the chewy pulp is to select one stalk and cut it where the white base transitions to green. Look at the cross section to make sure it’s moist and tight; if you see any dry spots or open pockets, trim a bit more. Then, line up the rest of the spears and cut them the same length, using the first one as the guide.

Paring a thin layer from the lower portion of the stalk removes its somewhat tough outer peel. I did a taste test on the asparagus in the photo and found even these very slender spears tasted less sharp with the exterior layer shaved away. This step is a must for thicker, sturdier spears. Just be sure to save the shavings as an ingredient for your next batch of vegetable stock (see photo).

Now that you’ve prepared your asparagus, you can decide how to cook it. To use asparagus as an ingredient in salads, omelets, quiches, risotto and soup, simply wrap the trimmed bundle in a damp paper towel and give it 20 seconds in the microwave. This is how the spears in the photo were cooked before being chopped and tossed with a walnut vinaigrette.

I’ve included a recipe for tomato and pine nut roasted asparagus, which you can modify with different nuts, omit the tomatoes or substitute another cheese. The next recipe is a walnut vinaigrette to drizzle on barely cooked asparagus spears for a sensational salad. The third dish is a tart made with puff pastry, prosciutto and ricotta cheese that’s like a white pizza. Hooray for asparagus season!

Roasted Asparagus
1 1/2 lbs asparagus
1 C golden cherry tomatoes
3 T pine nuts
3 T olive oil
2 grated garlic cloves
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/3 C shredded Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; set aside. Rinse and trim the asparagus; halve the tomatoes; set aside. In a dry skillet, lightly toast the pine nuts until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Place the asparagus on the baking pan in a single layer; scatter with tomatoes and pine nuts. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Pour mixture evenly over the asparagus. Bake until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with lemon zest and cheese; toss to combine.

Walnut Vinaigrette*
1/2 C chopped walnuts
1 T grated shallot
3 T rice wine vinegar
1 T Dijon mustard
1 T honey
1/2 C olive oil
salt & pepper, to taste
In a dry skillet, lightly toast the walnuts until fragrant, about 3 minutes. In a mixing bowl, whisk together shallot, vinegar, mustard and honey. Stir in toasted walnuts. While whisking constantly, slowly pour in the olive oil, making a smooth emulsion. Season to taste with salt and pepper. *Adapted from The Food Lab

Asparagus Tart
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg yolk
1 T water
1 egg
1 C ricotta cheese
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/4 C chopped parsley
1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1 lb asparagus
2 t olive oil
2 oz prosciutto
Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Roll the puff pastry into a 10-by-14-inch rectangle and place in the baking pan. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk and water; brush onto the surface of the pastry. Using a sharp knife, score a 1-inch border around the entire edge of the pastry dough. With a fork, pierce the dough inside the border across the entire surface about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden and puffed, about 10 minutes; set aside. In a bowl, mix together the ricotta, egg, lemon zest and juice, parsley, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Spread evenly over the surface of the pastry inside the border. Rinse and trim the asparagus; toss with olive oil. Arrange asparagus in a single layer on the pastry; tear the prosciutto into pieces and toss on top. Bake for 15 minutes; remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes before slicing.

Send questions, comments and recipe suggestions to capeflavors@comcast.net.