When I’m in the throes of creativity I have a tendency to play the same music over and over — especially if a painting or piece of writing is heading in the right direction. Whatever album starts me down that road becomes a crucial element in the process. Switching tunes just might take me out of the groove.
When it comes to seasonal foods, I’d exhibit the same tendency except for the obvious fact that too much of a good thing isn’t, well, good. It can get downright boring. And so, even though a lot of cooks think that the best and only way to enjoy our totally fabulous Northwest asparagus is simply steamed, with a drizzling of butter, or simply steamed with a dollop of mayo, let’s explore some alternatives.
But first things first. It begins with quality. Even though many of us have already indulged in California’s crop, few would disagree that it’s only after the rich, deeply-hued, purple-headed stalks of Washington “grass” arrive that we can be totally satisfied.
Then there’s time and storage. Asparagus contains sugar that begins turning to starch as soon as it’s picked; refrigeration slows down the conversion.
So shop for your asparagus where you know there’s a fast turn-over or you won’t be getting the sweetest and most flavorful experience.
As far as preparation goes, steaming is a dandy method. But it’s not the only method. These days, folks are discovering that vegetables take on an entirely different character when exposed to a bit of dry heat, be it over a grill or in a roasting pan. Asparagus is such a vegetable that becomes sweet and toasty from such treatment. So the following recipes are based on the simple process of roasting.
Garlic-Roasted Asparagus
2 pounds asparagus, fibrous ends trimmed, rinsed and patted dry
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1-1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
In a large glass baking dish, toss the asparagus with the olive oil and garlic. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and toss. Bake until the asparagus are tender and lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes, depending upon the thickness of the stalks, stirring twice.
Remove from the oven and toss with the lemon juice. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Roasted Asparagus Salad
Makes 6 servings.
12 to 14 thin spears asparagus, fibrous ends trimmed
2 sweet bell peppers (any color), seeded and quartered
1 sweet onion (such as Texas 1015 or Vidalia), peeled and quartered
Extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup coarsely chopped basil leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 to 4 cups mixed baby greens
1 cup toasted and coarsely chopped hazelnuts
Prosciutto &Chevre medallions (recipe follows)
White Truffle Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
Whole basil leaves for garnish
Chives blossoms (if available)
To prepare the vegetables, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. (Use convection if you have it.) Place the asparagus, peppers and sweet onion in a large bowl and toss with enough olive oil to lightly coat the vegetables. Add the basil, salt and pepper and toss again. Spread the vegetables out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Spread the veggies out so they will brown instead of simply steam. Roast for 15 minutes, or until the asparagus is tender-yet-crisp.
To assemble the salad, toss the mixed baby greens with a little of the vinaigrette. Divide the greens between six salad plates. Arrange the roasted vegetables and 4 of the chevre medallions artfully over the top of each. Drizzle the entire plate with more of the vinaigrette and garnish with the hazelnuts, whole basil leaves and chives blossoms if you have them.
WHITE TRUFFLE VINAIGRETTE: In a bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon white truffle oil, 2 cloves finely minced garlic, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, freshly ground black pepper to taste. Whisk in 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil.
PROSCIUTTO &CHEVRE MEDALLIONS: In a bowl, combine 4 ounces of chevre cheese and 4 ounces of softened cream cheese. Stir in 1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion. Lay 6 slices of prosciutto out on a work surface. Divide the chevre/cream cheese mixture evenly between the 6 slices and spread the cheese mixture out on each of the slices. Roll each slice up pinwheel fashion, starting at the narrow end. With a sharp knife dipped in hot water between cuts, cut each roll diagonally into 4 medallions each.
Grilled Halibut with Oven-Roasted Asparagus &Arugula, Feta Cheese and Pine Nut Salad
1/4 pound button mushrooms, halved
1 sweet onion, stem and root ends removed, then cut into 1-inch chunks
4 tablespoons (divided) extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 pound slender-stalked asparagus, tough end trimmed
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
About 1/4 pound fresh, young arugula, stemmed
1/3 cup lightly toasted pine nuts
6 (3-ounce) pieces of fresh halibut
Arrange the mushrooms and onion in a single layer in a roasting pan (measuring about 11 by 17 or larger). Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and toss to coat the vegetables, then salt and pepper lightly. Place in a preheated 450 degree oven and roast for about 20 minutes.
Add the asparagus and toss the vegetables again to coat the asparagus with the oil and seasoning. Return the pan to the oven and continue roasting for about 10 more minutes (the vegetables should be tender and slightly browned).
While the vegetables are roasting, whisk together the red wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
Remove the vegetables from the oven and arrange them on a large platter. Toss the vinaigrette with the arugula, feta cheese and pine nuts and arrange this mixture on top of the roasted vegetables. Serve immediately, along with the grilled halibut and a simple mashed potato or risotto. Makes 6 servings.
FOR THE GRILLED HALIBUT : Brush the halibut pieces with olive oil and fresh-ground black pepper. Place the fish on the cooking grate of a pre-heated grill and cook 7 to 8 minutes, or to desired doneness (general rule of thumb is 10 minutes total cooking time per 1-inch thickness of the fish), turning once halfway through cooking time.
Grilled Asparagus with Gribiche Sauce
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Somewhat like a tartar sauce, Gribiche has ties to the early Romans. In its classic form, it contains shallots, parsley, cornichons (think “baby sour pickles”), capers, egg yolks, oil, and vinegar. Other ingredients — such as fresh tarragon — aren’t out of line.
4 hard-cooked eggs
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
8 cornichons, finely chopped (see note below)
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
Additional salt to taste
About 1-1/2 pounds fresh asparagus, fibrous ends trimmed
Olive oil (for the asparagus)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
To prepare the sauce, first remove the cooked yolks from the egg whites and place the yolks in the work bowl of a food processor (reserve the whites for another use). Add the tarragon, capers, cornichons, salt, and pepper and pulse until just combined and coarsely chopped. With the processor running, slowly add the oil in a slender, steady stream. Keep running the motor until the sauce has thickened, and then add just enough of the white wine vinegar to make the sauce thin enough to drizzle. Scrape the sauce into a small bowl and adjust seasoning, adding salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium. Place the washed and trimmed asparagus on a baking sheet and brush the asparagus spears with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until just barely tender. Remove the spears from the grill and arrange them on a serving platter. Drizzle the Gribiche Sauce over the asparagus and serve immediately.
NOTE ON CORNICHONS: These tiny (tiny!) pickles have just the right zest for this recipe.
You can often find them in the pickle section of a well-stocked supermarket. In Corvallis, they are sold in bulk at the First Alternative Co-op (both south and north stores, and they’re really good!).
Roasted Asparagus Bundles wrapped in Prosciutto with Seasoned Bread Crumbs
This is celebrity chef Michael Chiarello’s take on a classic asparagus dish.
Unsalted butter, for baking dish
About 1-1/2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed to even lengths and blanched for 4 minutes in boiling, salted water
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Seasoned bread crumbs (recipe follows)
8 thin slices prosciutto
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Butter a shallow baking dish that is long enough to hold the asparagus. Season the blanched asparagus with salt and pepper to taste.
Divide the asparagus into 8 equal bundles. Place a slice of the prosciutto on a work, then place an asparagus bundle on top and roll up carefully in the prosciutto. Place the bundle in the prepared baking dish, with the prosciutto edge on the bottom so it won’t unroll. Prepare all of the asparagus bundles with the prosciutto slices. Flatten the top of each bundle slightly, brush with a bit of olive oil, then sprinkle each one with a portion of the seasoned bread crumbs. Drizzle on a bit more of the olive oil.
Roast in the oven until heated through and crisp, about 10 minutes. Serve at once.
SEASONED BREAD CRUMBS: Heat 2 teaspoons of extra-virgin olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Tilt the pan and then add 2 cloves of finely minced garlic and saute briefly until pale golden. Add 1/4 cup fine dried bread crumbs and a sprinkling of salt and pepper, then lower the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bread crumbs are toasted, about 3 minutes. Scrape the mixture into a small bowl and toss together with 1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon of freshly grated lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons of fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
Recipe from Michael Chiarello, host of Food Network’s “Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello.”
Jan Roberts-Dominguez is a Corvallis food writer, artist, and author of “Oregon Hazelnut Country, the Food, the Drink, the Spirit,” and four other cookbooks. Readers can contact her by email at janrd@proaxis.com,janrd@proaxis.com, or obtain additional recipes and food tips on her blog at www.janrd.com.
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