Asparagus - wot r u doing with yours!

[Susiebelle]

I've tried salads, nicoise fab, (not sure about the spelling) pastas with broad beans and blue cheese fab! frittartas, roulades and Tarts anybody got other ideas to share plse

[Susiebelle]

[Doris_Pinks]

We like ours steamed, or barbequed, or cooked or raw in salads.
This is one of my favorite recipes for it, nice to eat it raw! (and it is easy too!)

Asparagus & Mushroom Salad



1lb medium to thick asparagus, thinly sliced diagonally
8oz button mushrooms, sliced thinly
4 medium radishes, or more if like me you love them, halved and sliced thinly
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1/4 -1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)
3-4 fl oz extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper to taste
bunch of watercress (optional)
block of parmesan

Easy bit this!
In a large bowl,Whisk the lemon juice, mustard and salt together, whisk in the oil in a steady stream until it emulsifies.
Add the asparagus, mushrooms and radishes,  toss together until coated, Grind pepper over salad.
If using, layer a platter with the watecress, and top with the asparagus salad.
With a vegetable peeler, shave over as much parmesan as you like!!

[Susiebelle]

Never thought of using asparagus raw but am going to try this recipe thanks Doris_Pinks.

[valmarg]

I suppose our favourite is with salmon.

Fillet of salmon (griddled or poached), new potaotes (preferably Jersey Royals), together with steamed asparagus and loads of hollandais sauce.

With the tough bottom of the stalks we make soup.

Leek thinly sliced and softened in butter.  Lettuce leaves shredded and added.  Add chicken/veg stock (ie preference).  Add the stalks of asparagus and simmer for about half an hour.

Pass the mixture through a mouli legumes.

To the remaining liquid add two egg yolks mixed with double cream.

You have to be careful not to overheat the mixture, otherwise it curdles.

Personally, I've found it doesn't affect the taste ;D ;D

valmarg

[Old bird]

Lightly steamed with a couple of soft poached eggs and a brushing of butter!  Yummy, simple and cheap!

The farm down the road that grows asparagus - has great big buckets of the bits they take off the bottom they give these bits away for free!! But I only made soup last year - any ideas?

I am due to go up there again later in the week as they sell "kitchen grade" asparagus for £1.50 per pound.  Flipping bargain!

Old Bird

;D

[Doris_Pinks]

This is a way to use up the "ends", tastes great too!

Have done this a couple of times, the original recipe asks for tinned asparagus which tasted good, but with loads of those endy bits we used them instead!

4 Eggs
15 1/2 can asparagus or end bits, peeled and steamed until VERY soft!
1 cup Grated Cheddar Cheese (In a measure up to 8fl oz)
1 Cup Mayonnaise (In a measure up to 8 fl oz)
1 (10 1/2 Ounce) can Cream of Mushroom Soup (we preferred the condensed version)

Beat eggs in a liquidizer, add remaining ingredients and blitz!
Pour into lightly greased 1 1/2 quart Souffle dish. (Ours just went into a small casserole)
Place dish in a 2nd pan and add 2 inches of water to 2nd pan.
Bake at 350f, 180 c or gas 4  for 55-60 mins or until a knife inserted in centre comes out clean.
Serves 6

Easy or what!!    We had ours as a starter with friends over, dish in middle of table, lots of french bread...lovely!

[tim]

Some great ideas, there!
And raw - of course!!

[calendula]

Alistair Hendy does a very good Asparagus Filo Tart with spinach and potato - if you would like the Rx (no time right now to type it out)

Goes great with caviar and hollandaise sauce as well for a starter

[tim]

Some 'given' Hollandaise tonight - sadly, no Caviar!

You could soak Lentils in Fish sauce??

[grawrc]

I had the first of mine for dinner last night at 10 o'clock. Quite quite delicious.

[caroline7758]

We barbecued some at the weekend, just wrapped in foil with some butter- quick and delish!

[Susiebelle]

Fab ideas thank you, I would luv the Filo recipe Calendula are you able to e-mail me?

[calendula]

In case others would like it as well  :)

This from Alistair Hendy's book 'Fresh in Spring'

approx 500g filo pastry
1 bunch of spinach - about 20 leaves
20 spears of asparagus
2 large spuds thinly sliced
175g gruyere cheese grated
nutmeg for seasoning
3 eggs lightly beaten - reserve a little for glazing
250ml double cream
salt and pepper
olive oil for poaching
125g parmesan
a small handful of chives

roll out the pastry to fit a square fluted flan tin - prick the base and refrigerate

plunge the spinach into a pan of boiling water, remove immediately and refresh in cold water, drain and pat dry (I actually think you can just wash the spinach and fry off in a dry frying pan as the result is the same as all you need to do is wilt the spinach)

steam/cook the asparagus as you would normally

put the spud slices in a pan and poach in the olive oil, gently until tender without browning (the oil can be re-used)

arrange a layer of the sliced potato on the base of the pastry, season with S/P and the nutmeg - add a layer of spinach then add the gruyere and a second layer of spuds - season again

beat the eggs and cream together then pour over the spuds and spinach

arrange a line of cooked asparagus on this (always nice if the length of the asparagus just fits into the shape of the tart) - brush with the reserved egg

bake in a preheated oven @ 180 for 30-35 mins but halfway through the cooking time cover with a sheet of buttered cooking paper to prevent from burning

when the tart is set remove and serve with shavings of parmesan and sprinkle on the chopped chives

Enjoy  :)

[MiniTC]

Simply roasted with a slug of olive oil, salt and pepper.......yummie!!

;D

....or with a touch of halloumi melted on the top

[Susiebelle]

Thank you Calendula will certainly try this one I am a great fan of Filo

[lolabelle]

asparagus soliers to drip  in boiled  eggs :o yum yum

[asbean]

My son emailed this - he made it tonight with our asparagus and smoked River Test trout:

Fresh asparagus-Should be fresh as its in season right now
One Onion
Smoked salmon/smoked trout (thats wot I used)-sliced into smallish slivers
Pasta-In this case, Penne (De Cecco or Barilla)
Black Pepper
Herbs-I used dill but the smoked fish killed it-maybe thyme would cut
through
Best quality Olive oil (extra virgin)

1. Boil pasta until al dente
2. Boil the asparagus until soft
3. Finely chop onion in a large pan and fry in olive oil until golden
4. Add the asparagus to the pan with the onions
5. Add the fish, but keep the heat down as it is quite delicate.
6. Season with ground black pepper and the herbs (the fish this evening was
quite salty, so no need for extra).
7. Add the pasta and pour good extra virgin olive oil to keep it moist
8. Mix together well and serve.

Absolutely yummy.   :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P

[tonybloke]

mature cheddar and asparagus quiche, made with cream. on a wholemeal base (with parmesan)

[valmarg]

There's also prawn and asparagus quiche, which is very nice.

valmarg

[tim]

Oh, dear - missed this out in my last post - making it totally illogical!!