Coming Right Up

April 2010
Written By: 
M. Linda Lee

With its long growing time and short harvest, asparagus is a treasured and delicious harbinger of the spring season

There are countless things to love about spring, but if you’re a locavore, you probably look forward to the appearance of fresh asparagus beginning in April and ending roughly six weeks later. Asparagus officinalis, a perennial member of the lily family, is the first vegetable to push its head up through the soil. Its fast-growing, tender green spears must be harvested the day after they appear, usually at heights of 6 to 12 inches (spears can grow a full 10 inches in 24 hours). If the stalks are left on the plant too long, each triangular scale on the spear will sprout into a branch bearing feathery fronds, similar to its cousin, the asparagus fern.

Asparagus was grown commercially in South Carolina as early as the 1890s; production peaked in acreage around 1936, and declined steadily thereafter until it disappeared from the commercial farm rosters in the mid-’50s. Though it is no longer a cash crop in South Carolina, with the right care and plenty of patience, asparagus will grow in a home garden.

The claw-shaped root, or crown, must be planted in 6- to 8-inch-deep trenches. Then it takes three years until the root system grows strong enough to send up green shoots to produce a harvest. White asparagus, considered a delicacy by many—especially in Europe where its harvest inspires dedicated restaurant menus—is not, in fact, a separate type of plant. Its stalks are simply prevented from turning green by covering the shoots with soil as they grow.

A good source of calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C, asparagus is also chock full of antioxidants. It can be steamed, boiled, stir-fried, grilled, or roasted, with the latter two cooking methods lending a smoky, caramelized note to the taste. It’s important not to overcook this vegetable, since you want to retain its bright green color and a bit of a crisp bite. Though often served napped with hollandaise sauce, asparagus benefits equally well—if not better—from a pat of butter, a squeeze of lemon, and a sprinkling of fleur de sel.

Asparagus and Morel Bread Pudding

Issue: 
April 2010

Add onions to milk in saucepan and bring to a boil; set aside to steep. Pour milk over breadcrumbs and allow to soak.

Chop asparagus into 1/2-inch pieces and simmer in skillet of boiling water until bright green.

Melt butter in skillet, cook mushrooms until tender, add spices, and set aside.

Break eggs and beat until smooth, add herbs and plenty of salt and pepper, add bread crumbs with remaining milk, asparagus, and mushrooms with their juices, and 2/3 of the cheese. Mix thoroughly and pour into a greased, 8 x 12 dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes (until puffy and golden).

Meal: 
Breads
Side dish
  • 3 cups milk
  • 1 cup chopped spring onions with green shoots
  • 1 loaf stale or toasted multigrain bread broken into crouton-sized crumbs
  • 1 lb. asparagus
  • 2 Tbs. butter
  • 1 lb. morels (or other wild mushrooms)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/3 cup chopped parsley
  • 3 Tbs. oregano
  • 3 cups grated Swiss cheese

Recipe courtesy of Deborah Madison, Local Flavors. Reprinted in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver

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