Document text
- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Guide Weather Subscribe Contact Us March 29, 2005 The Sustainable Kitchen Stalking the wild asparagus Stu Stein As a chef, I dread that March to April lull in produce availability. Don't get me wrong. Winter does have its own bounty: the hardiness of root vegetables, the earthiness of winter greens, the bright acidity of all of those citrus varieties and the satisfying nature of dried beans and legumes. Like many in the region, I get a bit stir crazy and long for the rebirth of spring. To some, spring may mean girls in spandex and sundresses, but the one truism for me is Asparagus=Spring. When my wife was living in Walla Walla, Wash., spring officially came not necessarily on the date listed on the calendar but when driving by the local farms you saw the first sprouts breaking through the soil. After a long winter full of braises and slow cooked foods with muted, rich flavors, the snappy first asparagus is divine. I once read a book in which the hero served a whole meal made of nothing but asparagus. For those who are familiar with TV Food Network's outrageous program Iron Chef, a challenger once made an asparagus dish that costs about $1,000 a serving. The chef took whole asparagus stalks and baked them on top of a bed of six lobsters and below another layer of six lobsters. Then, after it had finished cooking, he threw out the lobsters and served the shellfish scented asparagus by itself. The medical virtues of asparagus are legendary. Folklore credits asparagus with everything from curing toothaches to being the medieval Viagra. More recently, their nutritional content has been touted as being a powerful cancer fighter. If that wasn't enough to qualify as bragging rights, the plant is low in calories and tastes great. Asparagus is a member of the lily family, a cousin to onions, leeks, shallots and chives. Large spears come from younger plants, they start producing sprouts in the second or third year, while small sizes come from older plants or plants that have been planted closer together. Asparagus may=Spring but Asparagus=Wine. Asparagus has a delicate, yet strong and penetrating flavor and a much deserved reputation for being a wine killer. If you choose to serve wine with asparagus, have several glasses of your choice and avoid the asparagus all together. Otherwise, choose an ultra-grassy, non-oaky sauvignon/fum� blanc, preferably from the Loire Valley of France or from New Zealand. In Oregon, look for producers that make a sauvignon/pinot blanc with green apple flavors, crisp acidity and herbal undertones. The sweeter and younger the asparagus the better the match. White asparagus, one of my favorites, is not genetically different from green asparagus. It is any asparagus grown in the dark, under the soil or under an opaque cover. Stalks are cut while still under the surface and then continually handled in the absence of light to keep them white. Needless to say, this system is very expensive. It does make the white spears more tender, milder, and nuttier in flavor than green asparagus. Besides that, when you serve them, they have a look to that screams "I am a gourmand and I don't care you knows it." No matter which type of asparagus you choose, select stalks that are firm, straight, uniform and have spears with tightly closed, compact tips. Since spears start to lose flavor and moisture as soon as they are harvested, avoid imported asparagus (from either out of state or out of the country). While they may look good, they tend to be woody and lack flavor. Due to Oregon's sandy and volcanic soil, Oregon asparagus tends to be free of bitter overtones and superior in flavor and texture to their sometimes flavorless and stringy California cousins. Yes, you can get asparagus year round but they are definitely coming from Chile or even farther away. My opinion is, if you have to have asparagus in December, you would be better off throwing the asparagus away and eating the cardboard box it came in. Chef's tips: The old rule for preparing asparagus is to hold the tip and base of the asparagus and the spear will snap at the base of the tender part when bent. I prefer to trim away any woody parts at the base and then peel the lower portion, slice it thinly and cook it separately from the tips. These pieces make great soups, sauces, and pur�es or use them in a stir-fry. Asparagus seems to have an affinity for fats (like olive oil or butter), citrus and nuts. Think of the classic match of asparagus with hollandaise sauce. Roasting or grilling the stalks concentrates their flavor and caramelizes the natural sugars. I love simple blanched asparagus with a touch of olive oil and lemon but grilled asparagus will allow you to show off the flavor of local asparagus. It is also a good excuse to dust of the grill and start to enjoy the spring. Chef Stein is culinary director for King Estate Winery and author of "The Sustainable Kitchen Cookbook." He can be reached at [email protected]. DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Slippers Women's & Men's Slippers Ceramic Piggy Banks heloc libor rate Calenders 2005 Calender 2005 Accelerate Weightloss Products Memory Foam Mattress afsa home equity loans teleconferencing W2 Forms Homeschooling Tatoos student loans Matchmaking & Dating Scripts African Safari Conference Calls - $50/Month Security Systems student loan consolidation diamonds Currancy Exchange Online Casinos Community Fasa Student Loans Tatoo Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams