Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
HOW T O PREPARE: To remove the tough bases, cut off the bottom inch or two
of each spear: the thicker the spear, the more you'll want to remove. Thin asparagus can be
prepared without peeling (though you may if you wish, of course). Thick asparagus must
be peeled. Use a regular potato peeler and start trimming from the tip end with a light
touch, gradually increasing the pressure as you get closer to the base.
ONE SIMPLE DISH: Steamed asparagus is one of the great pleasures of the spring
table. Select the fattest spears you can find, then peel and trim them. Tie them together
in a fat bundle with kitchen twine. Steam them until you can easily pierce one with the
tip of a sharp knife. They should be quite soft, cooked enough that they sag slightly when
you lift them by the twine, but not cooked so much that their color fades. Figure 7 to 8
minutes. When they are done, dress them with very good olive oil and fresh lemon juice,
then sprinkle them with sea salt. Serve warm or at room temperature with lots of bread to
soak up the juice.
Asparagus Wrapped in Crisp Prosciutto
This extremely simple recipe is a combination of two old favorites: basic roast as-
paragus and steamed asparagus wrapped in prosciutto. The contrast between the
soft asparagus and the crisp prosciutto is delicious. Serve with iced champagne and
plenty of napkins to wipe the asparagus juice from your fingers.
6 SERVINGS
Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut off the bottom 1 to 1'h inches of the asparagus spears.
If the spears are thick, peel them. Wrap a slice of prosciutto around each spear spiraling
