It is now April and I am full of wishful thinking. Wishing for a home, a place to call my own and set down a garden. In particular, I have a hankering for asparagus. I know, a funny thing to wish for. But harvest time for asparagus is the now, lasting only a few weeks, and I am wishing I was part of it.
I hated asparagus as a kid, a common complaint I’m sure. But the real problem with asparagus is two fold (in my humble opinion). People don’t know how to cook it, and it isn’t fresh, lending to bitterness. Truthfully, I had no idea where asparagus came from, how it was grown or what exactly it should taste like. Despite all this, I have become a lover of this vegetable in recent years, desperately trying to cook it to perfection. So when I began reading Barbara Kingsolver’s book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle — I was ecstatic. A perennial! Sexy! Phallic send up! Am I reading about asparagus or sex? Who cares! Apparently the Greeks get most of the credit for asparagus, the first recipes noted around 2500 years ago. But it’s not all sex appeal, this beauty of a vegetable demands an awful lot of work, it must be cut down daily and requires two seasons to mature before harvesting can even begin. It is my symbol of permanence. A ready crop can give yearly, for 20 or 30 years. I love that thought. Longevity, life and food. I am drawn to eating seasonal and providing my own food for my family, yet I worry. Mostly I am afraid of my own selfishness, will I chicken out and want what I want, when I want it? But Kingsolver aptly puts it, “About the same time the asparagus plant is getting weary of our management plan, we’re starting to feel the same way. It works out.” In the meantime, while plans are mere dreams, here’s a recipe. Here’s to someday…
Cold Poached Asparagus with Green Goo
1 bunch asparagus
Green Goo, by 101 Cookbooks
1/4 cup Italian parsley
1 jalapeño, destemmed (I like, 2 for some more heat!)
1 large clove garlic
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
2/3 cup / 160 ml extra virgin olive oil
Bring a sauce pan to boil and poach the asparagus for 2 minutes, until just tender and the color perks up. Remove the asparagus and set in cold ice water to stop the cooking process. Drizzle with green goo or this herb vinagreta, which is delicious as well. Delightful.
{ 2 comments }
I loved that book.
I read that book and loved it.
I completely agree with you about chickening out. We are trying to go local as much as possible but I am very impatient. We’ve planted fruit trees and berries but it seems like I’m going to have to wait forever to actually harvest a crop. Also, buying mainly local produce is not less expensive- as many people claim it to be. And, sometimes I just feel like a banana! So, buying local and in season is a decision every time I shop. It’s hard! But, ultimately worth it, I think. Our (my) latest is finding grass fed, local beef and poultry…I read a book…and I just can’t buy meat anymore. Because I’m crazy? Maybe. Anyway, I feel like I’m cyber-stalking you lately but I do enjoy your writing and recipes!
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