Page 47 - Valley Table - Spring 2022

EATING BY THE SEASON
ASPARAGUS EMERGES FROM THE GROUND each spring like a spindly green alien checking out
life on earth. I’d never seen it grow before I moved to
the Hudson Valley, but now there’s nothing that makes me happier than plucking these succulent stalks that represent the departure of winter and the promise of summer’s bounty. The veggie grows so fast (up to seven inches a day!) you can almost watch it grow. One Wednesday last spring during its all-too short season from late April through May, I visited Greig Farm in Red Hook (where I go several times during the season to
pick my own asparagus) to see the patch plucked bare. “Come back on Friday,” said Norman Greig. “It’ll be 80°F tomorrow and we’ll be full up again then.” I came back and sure enough, asparagus galore.
For those of you who don’t know your asparagus history, the vegetable hails from the eastern Mediterranean and has been consumed for over 2,000 years. In fact, Roman Emperor Augustus so prized asparagus that he had special boats known as his “Asparagus Fleet” sent out to procure the best varieties
by robin cherry
from throughout the Mediterranean and bring them back to Rome. Louis XIV of France also loved asparagus and had greenhouses built at Versailles so he could enjoy
it year-round.
According to text from the 1st century AD, Roman gourmet Apicius recommended that asparagus stalks
be placed in boiling water “backwards” with the heads protruding from the water so they would be tenderized by the rising steam while the denser part of the stalks cook. This is solid advice for anyone who’s turned the tips to mush while waiting for the stalks to catch up. Asparagus is also delicious roasted in the oven, cooked on the grill, or sautéed over high heat. Simply toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, or for something transcendent, use butter and Parmesan.
When it comes to selecting asparagus, look for firm stalks with tightly closed tips. Thin stalks are best for steaming and stir-frying while thick spears hold up better for grilling and roasting. To store asparagus, place the stalks in a glass of water in the refrigerator, tips up, like a bouquet of flowers.
46 the valley table march – may 2022
Spring Into
Asparagus
Season