f Asparagus Spring Fever In spring a food lover’s fancy turns to thoughts of asparagus. In ancient times harvesting the wild asparagus, famous Tor their medicinal qualities, was a spring time ritual. These days the ritual is more likely to take place in the produce aisles of the supermar ket. Asparagus folklore credits the delicious green spears with ev erything fiom curing toothaches to being a reproductive tonic. Today we know that just five stalks of asparagus is an excel lent source of folic acid, a B vita min that is associated with a de creased risk of neural tube birth defects. Asparagus is also a good source of vitamin C and carote noids. Our bodies use some ca rotenoids to make vitamin A, while others are strong disease fighting antioxidants. Quick cooking best preserves the dis tinctive taste and nutritional bang of asparagus. Choose spears that are about the same size so they will cook evenly. Break or cut off the tough ends of the asparagus and rinse the spears thoroughly in cool water to be sure they are free of sand. At this point you are only min utes away from enjoying this simple, but elegant vegetable. You can microwave aspara- TENT SALE May 25'" & Zfc" Friday 8-8: Saturday 8-3 Sturdy, Well-Built Furniture at Reduced Prices. Many Styles and Colors Available Significant Reduct^^^^or^Btems Chairs Rockers Hutches n gus, stir-fry them, cook them in boiling water or roast them in a hot oven (450 degrees) with a little olive oil. But it only takes a few minutes until they are crisp tender, so check them after about four minutes. Warm asparagus are delicious with a little olive oil or butter and a squeeze of lemon juice. The nutty flavor of toasted sesa me seeds is also a good match with the fresh taste of asparagus. My kids like them just plain and I confess to overlooking the occa sional episodes of mealtime duel ing asparagus. A bowl of chilled asparagus is an invitation to create a wonder ful salad or finger food. Wrap them with thin slices of ham, pair them with tomatoes and hard cooked eggs or top aspara gus with thin rings of red onions. The opportunities are endless and the results always taste great. Asparagus with Red Pep per Sauce is one of my favorites. It’s delicious, beautiful, easy to do ahead for a crowd and packed with nutrients. Asparagus With Red Pepper Sauce 2 large red bell peppers, cored (Turn to Page B 4) • Tables • Gliders • Curios Balloons For The Children ZIMMERMAN CHAIR SHOP 1486 Colebrook Rd., (Rt. 241), Lebanon Dir.: Rt. 72N, at Sixth Light From Quentin Turn Left (Colebrook Rd.) mm (717)273-2706 VISA Chicken BBQ Available Free to Qualified Purchasers! 1/2 Mi.To Sale On Right Asparagus Is Nutritional Winner One of the very first spring messengers of the garden is the perennial asparagus spear. It stands alone in its unique and simple gourmet qualities. Aspar agus is related to onions, garlic and members of the lily family. Asparagus season is short. The bulk of its harvest is generally late April through early June, with its heaviest bearing in May. Not only is asparagus a culi nary delight, it is also a nutri tional winner. Generally, raw as paragus ranks high in vitamins A, B-complex and C. and is also rich in minerals from the soil, particularly potassium and zinc. Nibble on some tender asparagus raw for its full flavor and nutri tional value. As other vegetables, it will lose some, though not all, of its B-complex and vitamin C during the cooking process. It contains no fat and only 35 cal ories per one cup serving. Cooking Tips • Snap off or remove with a knife the bottommost woody part of the spear. • Try tender asparagus spears raw. Chop into a salad, or enjoy with a dip. • Asparagus is best cooked simply. Here are two suggestions: • Arrange spears loosely in a skillet with an inch of lightly salted boiling water. Simmer-for 3-5 minutes or until bright green and tender, but not mushy. Re move from heat and run under cold water to stop cooking pro cess. • In a tall covered pot, steam asparagus upright with approxi mately an inch of water for 10 minutes or until tender. This method cooks the tougher bot toms more thoroughly while gently steaming the tender tops. • Try serving asparagus warm topped with butter, lemon and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. • Try serving cold with a sim ple vinaigrette, or try olive oil with fresh squeezed lemon and a sprinkle of salt. • Try them on your kids. They’re mild in flavor and fun to chomp down, raw or cooked. Storage Tips • Refrigerate immediately and use as soon as possible. As paragus’ sugars will turn rapidly to starches, reducing flavor quickly. • Wrap asparagus in a damp cloth and store in the hydrator drawer of the refrigerator. An al ternate storage technique to re tain vitality is to bundle spears with a rubber band and place up right in a container with an inch of water. C ol*l> letely ® ar^e C|| e f Cooking out? Make one stop for all your supplies. Stainless Steel 4 , __ Award Winning Sauces Sarka Grills A Commercial Barbecues & Pig Roasters Sarka Grills are • #304 Grade Stainless Steel • 25 Year Warranty ~ All accessories from cookbooks to J. utensils to charcoal! . You’re Coo ki ng , PR6OT • 7 models available • Built rental tough! 221 Jalyn Drive • New Holland, Pa 17557 • 717/355-0779 Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 19,2001-B3 Asparagus Patties 1 pound asparagus 3 green onions, sliced 1 tablespoon oil I'teaspoon jjjped basil 'A cup almonds or walnuts '/: cup dry bread crumbs 1 teaspoon salt 'a cup cooked rice or bulgur 2 eggs beaten 1 rim tough ends of asparagus and discard. Cut spears into 'A inch pieces, steam until tender and set aside to cool. Saute green onions in oil until soft. Stir in basil and set aside. Preheat over to 250 degrees. Place almonds on baking sheet and toast in oven until slightly browned. Place in a food processor and grind to a fine meal. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine almond meal, bread crumbs, salt, and rice. Stir in eggs. Add steamed asparagus and green onions to egg mixture and mix well. Heat a lightly oiled griddle over medi um-high heat or heat an electric skillet to 375 degrees. Drop mix ture by tablespoonfuls onto pre heated surface and spread to form patties. Cook until brown on each side. Serve hot. Makes 2 servings. Source: From Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Farm- Fresh, Seasonal Produce. By: Madison Area Community Sup ported Agriculture Coalition (MACSAC). Siisiis - ——— ——■ w- mm mm
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