Spring’s Bounty: Asparagus!

By Bonnie Fishman / San Francisco Bay Area

Fresh asparagus bundles

Is there a more quintessential vegetable for this time of year than asparagus? Just like spring onions and baby lettuce sprouting through the soil, I think asparagus provides a signature option for this season’s dining. On Passover and Easter tables, it often plays an important supporting role to the main course. It’s easy to prepare and offers a festive touch to a holiday meal.

Asparagus has a noble pedigree. It was enjoyed by the ancient Greeks and Romans; in Rome, it was revered as a mystical plant and was offered up to the gods.

I don’t really remember my first foray into eating asparagus. I know I wasn’t served it much as a kid, only in spring when it was readily available. As a matter of fact, during the ’50s and early ’60s, I don’t recall eating many fresh vegetables at all. Even though my mom cooked almost every night, the veggies seemed to come from the freezer. I think frozen and canned foods were all the rage.

My kids should be grateful that they didn’t grow up in those decades, when we were subjected to flavorless and colorless canned peas that didn’t remotely resemble the real deal.

In the early ’80s, my husband Bob and I bought a lovely house on a lake in Bloomfield Township, Mich. Unbeknownst to us at the time, the previous owner was an avid gardener. Actually, he had a tractor, which made him more of a farmer in my eyes. It was a large lot filled with all kinds of perennials.

The most prominent section was a raspberry orchard that must have been at least 50’ x 8’. It was heaven on earth to go out there in summer and pick and eat as many raspberries as we wanted. Another section was a huge rhubarb patch. One year, I picked 100 pounds of stalks to use at my bakery.

We had apples, irises, and other flowers that came up year after year. But the real surprise came during our first spring, when I was walking the property. The oddest thing imaginable was “springing” up from the ground. An asparagus stalk. And then another, and another. It was like being in a surrealistic Salvador Dali painting. I had never seen a vegetable growing isolated like that, as most vegetables are seen on bushes, vines or common stalks. They came up every year like that. Amazing.

Surreal asparagus field

The part of the asparagus that is eaten is the young stalk. If you let the stalks grow, the tips sprout into ferns. Asparagus ferns were all the rage in the ’70s, hanging in restaurants and people’s homes. Who knew? Not me.

Asparagus fern house plants are related to the edible asparagus stalks but belong to a different species

Asparagus is typically green. White asparagus comes from the same plants, but they have not been exposed to the sun. When their tips begin to come up, the gardener covers them with soil so they stay white. They are considered a real delicacy, particularly in Europe. White asparagus tastes sweeter and is more tender.

White asparagus has never been exposed to the sun

China is the largest grower and exporter of asparagus in the world. Here in the U.S., most asparagus is grown in California, Michigan or Washington. It is a very nutritious vegetable containing fiber, folate, potassium, and vitamins A, K, and C. It is low in calories and contains no fat or cholesterol.

There is a debate whether to peel the spears or not. I personally think it’s a waste of time. The point of that is to make the stalks more tender, but if you cut or snap off the bottom at the right place, there is no need for it. One could argue that it does make the asparagus look more elegant. I will give you that.

When buying asparagus, you want to select even-sized spears so they cook at the same rate. I prefer medium ones. The tips should be tight and not at all slimy. Asparagus can be roasted, grilled, steamed, or boiled. Overcooking is the kiss of death. They become stringy and quite frankly, ugly. The beauty of these lovely spring vegetables is that they take very little time to cook and can be topped with any number of offerings.

Today’s recipe features oven-roasted asparagus with a garlicky crumb topping. They can also be grilled instead of roasted. Either method imparts a great flavor. I almost never steam or boil them because it brings nothing to the party, so to speak.

Tell us here at The Insider what you like to top your spring asparagus with. If you have the opportunity to pick your own, let us know if you think it’s a surreal experience!

Roast Asparagus with Garlic Panko Crumbs & Almonds

Yield: 6-8 Servings

2 lb. asparagus

2 Tbsp. olive oil

3 oz. butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 c. slivered almonds

1/2 c. panko crumbs

Preheat oven to 400°. Line 2 baking sheets with foil. Spray with pan release. Snap off or cut about 2-3 inches from the bottom of the stalks. Arrange asparagus on the sheets facing in the same direction. Drizzle with olive oil; season well with coarse salt and pepper.  Toss together with your hands. Lay the asparagus in 1 layer. Bake for 12-15 minutes, depending on their thickness. 

While asparagus is cooking, melt the butter in a medium skillet over moderate heat.  Add the garlic, almonds, and crumbs. Sauté until gold brown, about 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Arrange asparagus on a platter. Spoon on the topping.

Snap off the bottom of the stalks.

Or cut off the bottom 2-3 inches.

Toss the spears in olive oil, coarse salt and pepper and lay on a baking sheet lined with foil.

After browning the garlic, crumbs, and almonds in butter, spoon the topping over the asparagus.

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Bonnie Fishman attended the Cordon Bleu Cookery School in London. Later, she owned and operated Bonnie’s Patisserie in Southfield, Mich. and Bonnie’s Kitchen and Catering in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. She has taught cooking for over 35 years and created hundreds of recipes. She is now living in Northern California.