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« Which will it be? Diet or ice cream? | Main | Caffeine overload » Tuesday, April 17, 2007Add spring to your plate
Every spring, I intend to wait for our local asparagus to come into season, but I can't. These are from California and I must confess, I begin buying them as soon as I see them in the markets. I don't subscribe to the theory that the slender stalks are sweeter than the plumper ones. But I do think that you have to cook all slender or all plump in one pot. Forget special steamers. Here's the quick way. Bend the stems near the ends to snap off the tough parts. Bring a deep skillet of salted water to a rolling boil. Lay the stalks in the skillet. Use a wide metal spatula to lift the ones on the bottom and place them on the top. The total cooking time will be about 2 minutes or until the stalks are very bright green and just tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. To serve them: Lay the asparagus on a plate lined with a white cloth napkin (at least that's how they're supposed to be served). Then pick up the stalks by the ends and pop them in your mouth, buds first. When I lived in London some years ago, I learned that even the Queen of England eats asparagus with her fingers. I didn't see Helen Mirren eating any in her regal portrayal in "The Queen." She was only drinking tea, and, alas, I have never dined with the real queen or the actress, springtime or otherwise. Posted by Sheryl Julian at 11:13 AM
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