Asparagus Season
People generally either love or hate asparagus. I love it. I’m about to roast these ones for dinner. I used to always steam them, but a few years ago I read a post that said to roast them in the oven instead. So I tried it and yum — it deepens the flavour and adds a roasty tinge (official cookery term) So these days I always roast them.
Years ago a friend of mine had an elderly aunt who lived in country Tasmania, in the heart of asparagus growing country and, knowing her niece loved asparagus, every year would send her a huge parcel through the post. Seriously, it was a parcel almost the size of a pillowcase, stuffed full of asparagus.
Of course, no single household could get through that much asparagus, so my friend would share handfuls of spears among her friends and we’d have these wonderful asparagus feasts. So many things you can do with asparagus — in soup, in salads, in pasta and risotto dishes, in quiches, and so many more, but my fave is simply to roast the spears with a drizzle of olive oil and serve with a squeeze of lemon juice, and salt and fresh ground pepper. So simple but it’s a feast in itself. That’s what I’m doing tonight.
And do you know the “correct” way to eat asparagus (according to my mother, who was drilled in etiquette at a posh private boarding school) is to pick up the thick end in your fingers and eat it bite by bite. Debrett’s agrees.
Are you a lover of asparagus or not? If you are, how do you like to serve it?
My grandmother might not have been in Debretts, but she was raised as if she should have been. I always ate my asparagus like that until my late teens when the others would laugh at me. :/ We have a friend who’s mother has a couple acres of asparagus. He brings us bags and bags of the stuff every season. I’ve roasted it (though I prefer to put the lemon juice on first and try it with a little freshly grated parm too!) which is my favorite way, I’ve added it to soups, I’ve made pesto with it, I’ve probably… Read more »
That sounds lovely, Theo. I’ve never even thought of making asparagus pesto, but I’m sure it would be yummy.
I don’t particularly care for asparagus, but there is usually someone eager to eat my share. In Germany, asparagus is hilled up and is white. I prefer it that way. And folks around here pickle a lot of it.
I’ve always wondered about the taste difference between white and green asparagus, Marianne. My grandfather used to hill it up, too.
My great great Aunt, and that side of the family came from Scotland and England, has a family recipe we still serve at all the holidays called Asparagus Pudding.
Sometimes I just crave it! So many lovely memories from this dish handed down over the generations.
Tami I looked that up on the web and found some yummy sounding recipes that might be similar to yours — a kind of savory bread pudding with asparagus. Sounds like the perfect accompaniment to a roast dinner.