Asparagus

Asparagus officinalis is a delectable vegetable that grows in most parts of Europe and other countries of the world with a temperate climate.   According to various sources, asparagus were highly valued in ancient Egypt, Syria, Greece and Rome, for their delicate taste and benefits to human health.  It is one of the first spring vegetables, nature’s promise and pledge for warmer, better days.

ASPARAGUS SOUP

           

           

                       

Greek asparagus are of an excellent quality.  You can use either the white or the green variety, for preparing this soup.

500 g (1 lb) fresh asparagus

1 clove garlic

1 onion, chopped

1½ litre (6 cups) chicken stock or more, if necessary

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 bay leaf

250 ml (1 cup) milk

Salt and pepper

250 ml (1 cup) whipped cream, low fat if preferred, optional  

1 ½ tbsp parsley, finely chopped

Cut off the asparagus tips and set aside. Chop the tender part of the stalks and reserve.  Also chop and reserve the tough parts.

Bring the chicken stock to a boil and add 6-8 asparagus tips and simmer for 5-7 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.  Add the chopped, tough stalks to the stock and cook for 25 minutes.  Remove the stalks and discard.

Add the remaining asparagus (tips and the tender stalks), onion and garlic to the stock, simmer for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, and set aside to cool.   Blend the vegetables and stock and sieve.  Return the soup to the saucepan and keep hot.   

 Melt the butter and stir in the flour, pepper and bay leaf, and cook gently for 2-3 minutes.  Add milk to the roux and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens.  Discard the bay leaf.  Mix the sauce with a cup of warm soup and sieve back into the saucepan and stir.  Correct the seasoning with salt and freshly ground white pepper, if necessary.  Simmer for 2-4 minutes more. Then add a little cream, if using, and heat without boiling.

Serve decorated with cream and the reserved asparagus tips.

 (Serves 6)

BOILED ASPARAGUS SALAD

                 

                     

Try this well-known classic in spring, when fresh asparagus are plentiful.

1 kg (2 lbs) white or green asparagus

Salt

1 bay leaf

Vinaigrette dressing, (see recipe below)

2 eggs, hard-boiled, whites and yolks finely chopped, separately (optional)

 Break off the hard ends of each stalk and peel off the hard skin towards the tips, and tie them in bundles.   Boil the asparagus, standing up, leaving the tips exposed, in salted water and a bay leaf, for 7-10 minutes or until just tender.   Drain well.  

  Serve, hot or cold, drizzled with the dressing and sprinkled with the boiled egg, if using. Serve the remaining vinaigrette in a sauce-boat.)

Vinaigrette:

½ -1 clove garlic, crushed (optional),

½ tsp salt

 ½ tsp mustard powder

1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar

1 tsp lemon juice or more, if preferred

6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Black pepper, freshly ground

Mix all the ingredients in a jam jar and shake well.  Use as much vinaigrette as you need, and store the rest in a jar in the refrigerator.  

WHITE SAUCE FOR BOILED ASPARAGUS

                                        

When you next boil asparagus, try this sauce.   It is lighter than sauce Hollandaise You could, also, use it for asparagus “au gratin” .

500 g (1 lb) trimmed green or white asparagus, boiled with

1 small onion

1 clove of garlic

Salt and white peppercorns

375 ml (1 ½ cup) or more asparagus stock (discarding onion garlic and peppercorns)

3 tbsp butter

3-4 tbsp flour

½ bay leaf

2 tbsp grated San Mihalis, Gruyere or Parmesan cheese (optional)

125 ml (½ cup) cream, low fat if preferred

1 tbsp butter cut in small pieces

Salt and white pepper to taste

Heat the butter with the bay leaf.   Stir in the flour and cook for 4-5 minutes.  Then whisk in the warm asparagus stock and simmer gently until the sauce thickens and is thoroughly cooked.   Remove from the fire and add the cheese, if using, and the cream and stir well.   Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and white pepper, if needed.   Heat the sauce again but do not boil.  Swirl in the butter.   Serve with the hot asparagus.

(Makes about 2 cups)

ASPARAGUS 
AU GRATIN

This is a great treat for your family and friends and very easy to prepare. 

500 g (1 lb) white or green asparagus, parboiled for 5 minutes

20-25 thin slices smoked or boiled ham

A knob of butter for the baking dish

White Sauce (see above)

2-3 tbsp grated San Mihalis, Parmesan or Gruyere

Roll each asparagus stem with ham, and place side by side in buttered baking dish.  Mask with the white sauce and sprinkle with cheese.   Bake in an oven, preheated to 180 C (350 F)  for about 30 minutes or until  golden brown. 

GREEN ASPARAGUS TART

This is a tasty fist dish.   Four slices of smoked ham could be used instead of bacon.

Pastry:

250 g (½ lb) self-raising flour and a little extra if necessary

A pinch if salt

150 g (5 oz) iced butter, cubed

1 egg

1 tbsp brandy or more, if necessary

Filling:

½ kg (1 lb) green asparagus, hard parts snapped off and trimmed

A knob of butter

4 rashes of bacon, chopped, sautéed placed on kitchen paper to drain

2 tbsp dried bread crumbs, mixed with

2 tbsp of the same grated cheese used in the sauce

Sauce:

2 tbsp butter

1 bay-leaf

3 tbsp flour

500 ml (2 cups) hot milk

Asparagus pulp (see below)

Grated nutmeg

2 tbsp mild kasseri or Cheddar, thickly grated

2 eggs, separated, whites whipped to the soft peak stage with a pinch of salt
2 tbsp thick Greek yogurt

Salt, if necessary and freshly ground pepper

First prepare the pastry.  Mix flour and salt and rub in the flour until it resembles bread crumbs.  Add the egg and brandy and knead for 3-4 minutes until a smooth, rather soft dough is obtained.  Cover and ice for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, simmer the asparagus in salted water, until cooked but still slightly crunchy. Then strain and pat dry.   Blend the hard parts of the asparagus, with a hand blender and sieve, pressing with the back of a spoon, in order to extract all the juices and set aside.   There should be about 250 ml (1 cup) thick asparagus pulp.   Also sauté the asparagus spears in butter.

For the sauce, melt the butter, add the bay leaf and sift in the flour, stirring for 3-4 minutes, over gentle heat, in order to prevent the taste of uncooked flour.   Pour in the hot milk in portions, stirring vigorously until the sauce is smooth and thick.   Discard the bay leaf and add the asparagus pulp and simmer stirring for 2-3 minutes more, fold in the nutmeg and the cheese and remove from the fire to cool.   Mix the egg yolks with the yogurt and add them to the cool sauce.   Taste and add a little salt if necessary and freshly ground pepper.    Softly fold in the egg whites.

Roll out the pastry, thinly, and line a 30 cm (12 inch) buttered, round tart dish.   Prick the pastry all over with a fork and sprinkle with the dried breadcrumb/grated cheese mixture.   Scatter the bacon on top and place the sautéed asparagus tips evenly over.   Finally spoon the sauce over and level the surface.   Bake in an oven, preheated to 180 C (350 F), for about   35-40 minutes, until golden and puffy.  Serve with a green salad.

ASPARAGUS AND CHICKEN WITH A CHINESE TOUCH

This is a comforting dish my husband and I used to often prepare, during the asparagus season.  Using frozen or tinned asparagus can be equally successful.

500 g (1 lb) fresh green asparagus, trimmed and parboiled for 5 minutes

2 chicken breasts, cubed

2 tbsp corn oil

½ - 1 tbsp grated ginger

2-3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

A little salt and pepper

2 carrots, scraped and cut into julienne strips and sautéed

750 ml (3 cups) hot chicken stock

1 tbsp soya sauce

A few drops chili sauce, optional

1-2 tbsp cornflour, mixed with

125 ml (½ cup) cold water

½ tsp sesame seed oil

Sauté the ginger and garlic in corn oil, for 2 minutes, and remove.

 Cook the chicken in the same wok for 3 minutes, over high heat.  Add the sautéed  ginger and garlic, mix well together and pour in enough chicken stock, to cover.  Lower the heat, cover the wok and simmer gently for 10 minutes or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked.  Add the soya sauce, a little more chicken stock and the chili sauce, if using.  Taste and add a little more salt and pepper, if necessary. 

Arrange the sautéed carrots and the parboiled asparagus with the chicken, and simmer 2-3 minutes more.  Pour in the corn flour solution and stir for a few minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.   Sprinkle with sesame oil and swirl.   I always use Greek sesame oil, which is excellent and less pungent than the oriental kind.

Serve with noodles or steamed rice or, if you’re not a purist, with any pasta of your choice, even with mashed potatoes.