What can I do with asparagus?

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 8:35 pm

I have a can of asparagus in the cupboard. I usually eat fresh steamed asparagus with mayonnaise on it.I've never really tried anything else.

What would you advise me to do with my asparagus? It doesn't have to be for the canned- it could be for fresh as well. I could use some ideas please. Thanks.

AussiePam · Post by **AussiePam** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 9:31 pm

Fresh asparagus is so good, I just steam it, like you do, Red and serve it with aioli or mayo or hollandaise sauce. Wonderful with salmon and wild rice.

The canned version was, I think, invented for use in mornay dishes!! Make a cheese sauce, maybe using swiss cheese, hard boil a couple of eggs. Put the asparagus and halved eggs in a casserole dish in the white sauce and top with buttered breadcrumbs, then heat and brown the top in the oven.

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 10:32 pm

Okay now THAT sounds like something I would love, Pam! What is aioli??

AussiePam · Post by **AussiePam** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 11:41 pm

Aioli is a garlic laden mayonnaise.

Here's a recipe, but I think you can buy it ready made. I use it on vegetables, or on boiled small potatoes - sparingly.

Not everyone in my household likes hollandaise sauce, but that's my favourite on asparagus

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/7531/aioli

Do you ever manage to get hold of the fat white asparagus? It's available widely in Europe, and occasionally in Australia. I love it!!

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 12:12 am

Oh I would like that as I'm crazy about anything with garlic! Thank you for that recipe.

I've never seen white asparagus where I live and up until about a week ago, I didn't even know there was such a thing! How does it differ from the green kind? Does it taste different?

:)

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 1:25 am

Hehehe....Jimbo. You nut. It's good to see you. :-6

buttercup · Post by **buttercup** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 2:21 am

Chicken & asparagus lasagne is wonderful. I know it sounds odd but really its yummy :-4

Chezzie · Post by **Chezzie** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 2:29 am

ASPARAGUS CASSEROLE AU GRATIN

1 1/2 lbs. fresh asparagus, cut in 1/2 inch pieces

1 thickly sliced med. onion

1 c. boiling water

1/2 tsp. salt

2 c. grated processed American cheese (1/2 lb.)

1/4 c. undiluted evaporated milk

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 c. tiny fresh bread squares

2 tbsp. melted butter

1 egg

2 tbsp. canned pimiento

Heat oven to 350.

Cook asparagus with onion in boiling water with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until tender, then drain.

Alternate layers of vegetables (onion and asparagus) and cheese in 1 1/2 quart casserole.

Pour on milk with beaten egg and pimento, 1/4 teaspoon salt, bread squares and pepper. Mix together and top with butter.

Bake uncovered 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes 6 servings.

____________________________________________________________

ASPARAGUS SUPREME

1/3 c. onion, minced

2 tbsp. butter, melted

2 tbsp. flour

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper

1 c. sour cream

2 cans (14 oz. size) asparagus spears, drained

1/2 c. sharp Cheddar cheese, grated

Saute onion butter, but don't brown. Add flour, salt and pepper; mix well. Cook for 4 minutes. Add sour cream; heat well, but do not boil mixture. Place asparagus in a shallow baking dish and cover with sour cream mixture. Sprinkle cheese over top. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or just until cheese melts and it's thoroughly heated.

________________________________________________________________

EFFORTLESS MARINATED ASPARAGUS

Italian salad dressing

Canned asparagus, drained or fresh steamed to a very tender consistency

Place asparagus in long serving dish, pour Wishbone over the asparagus to cover lightly and refrigerate overnight. Keeps for days. Nice and cool in the summer in place of a regular salad.

________________________________________________________________

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 4:41 am

YUM!!

You guys are making me hungry! I will definitely need to get more asparagus to try these out! :yh_drool

sunny104 · Post by **sunny104** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 6:56 am

I like to roast them, just sprinkle them with a bit of oil and salt.

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 7:07 am

sunny104;933234 wrote: I like to roast them, just sprinkle them with a bit of oil and salt.

Cool! What temp would I roast them at and for how long?

I'm really getting into this!

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 7:27 am

Here's my beloved's recipe:

Microwave/steam the asparagus just a bit to soften it a little

Cut in pieces a little longer than the width of a piece of bacon

Cut raw bacon in about 1-inch lengths

Wrap the bacon around the pieces of asparagus & secure with a toothpick (maybe run several on a bamboo skewer)

Fry slowly or cook it in a toaster oven at 350 (with a pan to catch the oil to lessen the fat) until the bacon is just crisp.

Good snack with beer to balance out the fat you wasted in the toaster oven

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 7:40 am

That sounds good Acc! I never would have thought to mix asparagus with bacon. I will try that this week.

sunny104 · Post by **sunny104** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 7:50 am

Accountable;933251 wrote: Here's my beloved's recipe:

Microwave/steam the asparagus just a bit to soften it a little

Cut in pieces a little longer than the width of a piece of bacon

Cut raw bacon in about 1-inch lengths

Wrap the bacon around the pieces of asparagus & secure with a toothpick (maybe run several on a bamboo skewer)

Fry slowly or cook it in a toaster oven at 350 (with a pan to catch the oil to lessen the fat) until the bacon is just crisp.

Good snack with beer to balance out the fat you wasted in the toaster oven

yummy! :yh_drool

RedGlitter;933240 wrote: Cool! What temp would I roast them at and for how long?

I'm really getting into this!

I never measure things...

I cook them at 350 for maybe 30 minutes or so.

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 8:21 am

Thanks Sunny.

qsducks · Post by **qsducks** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 8:25 am

I steam asparagus with lots of butter.

Richard Bell · Post by **Richard Bell** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 1:40 pm

Grilled asparagus is delicious.

Brush the spears with olive oil, and grill until tender on a BBQ or an electric grill.

Drizzle with sesame seed oil and soy sauce. Toss it all together with some sesame seeds, and maybe a bit of lemon juice.

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 4:57 pm

I did not know you could do so much with this veggie! All this time I've just dunked it in mayo. I'll get some fresh asparagus next week and start trying your recipes! Thanks you guys!

homebasics · Post by **homebasics** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 1:28 pm

You gotta go fresh. Here's our suggestion:

1 lb asparagus, ends trimmed 500 g

2 tbsp I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! Margarine 30 mL

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese 125 mL

1 tbsp chopped fresh basil 15 mL

1 clove garlic, minced 1

1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice 7 mL

salt and pepper to taste

Cook asparagus in lightly salted boiling water until tender crisp. Drain and arrange in a 13 x 9-inch (34 x 22 cm) baking dish.

In bowl, combine margarine, Parmesan cheese, basil, garlic and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drop mixture by teaspoonful over asparagus.

Place under broiler (6 inches/15 cm from heat source) for about 3 minutes watching carefully or until cheese begins to brown slightly. Serve immediately.

AussiePam · Post by **AussiePam** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 1:57 pm

That's an interesting recipe, homebasics. I can't imagine putting basil with asparagus. Feels like a taste conflict. But I have an open mind, and will give it a try.

Can you keep that anomaly in the fridge, grecianurn?

AussiePam · Post by **AussiePam** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 2:14 pm

I got some Devendale sort of b-word the other day which is totally spreadable straight from the fridge and contains something called plant sterols which are meant to actively lower cholesterol. So far, menfolk haven't noticed that it's not the b word.

:sneaky:

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articl ... id=1070975

AussiePam · Post by **AussiePam** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 2:56 pm

I've aways been a butter person, grecianurn, but one has to look after one's menfolk and I swapped recently to the sterol spread. It's been properly researched and shown to actually lower cholesterol not just not add to it. I've substituted it on himself's toast and marmelade and used it in baking, and in all other sorts of cooking I would have used butter in. It works just fine for me, and he hasn't noticed. So it must taste ok. Works for me too.

AussiePam · Post by **AussiePam** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 6:47 pm

Grecianurn - A girl needs one for companionship, one for romping, one for romance, one for wealth and position unless you have all this yourself of course, one for adventure, one you can really talk to and maybe one just to be decorative. Menfolk!!! A load of different kinds of trees in one's garden.