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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Emergency Services Medford, Talent language groups hope to attract Spanish speakers Serial killer Susan Monica found guilty on all charges, gets 50 years Five teens sent to hospital after crash near Medford Susan Monica testifies she feared for her life Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency Services Serial killer Susan Monica found guilty on all charges, gets 50 years Five teens sent to hospital after crash near Medford Susan Monica testifies she feared for her life Woman who chased family with knife jailed Politics and Elections Arthur I. Cyr: Cuba’s enduring challenge to American foreign policy – and American politics Gov. Brown touts need for transportation funding in talk to Medford chamber Kent Bush: Clinton 2.0 is neither new nor improved Arthur I. Cyr: Britain’s earthquake election Former state Senate President Brady Adams dies Education Students participate in fuel reduction effort at Ruch School New funding formula awards universities for graduating more students Official hopeful whooping cough case at John Muir contained Crater dropout says graduating high school would've saved him time and money New Medford middle school would offer Montessori approach Environment Jackson County's wildlife services agent seen as both killer and savior Biomass technology: Creating products out of former waste Sugar Pine Mine co-owner: "Please stop calling the BLM and threatening their personnel" Oath Keepers say they'll defend contested mining claim on BLM land Central Point's Arbor Day project will provide shade along Mingus Creek State News Oregon lawmakers advance vaccine bill to budget committee Agency: Humpback whales' recovery is national success story Les Schwab descendant plans to close Central Oregon road popular with hunters Oregon bill would prohibit charges for filming police Woman, 98, gets birthday wish: horse-drawn carriage ride Nation - World Tsarnaev convicted on all charges in Boston Marathon bombing Obituaries Betty Louise Dawson Cecil L. (Mike) Michael Eileen Rose White Nora June Shepherd Teresa Wears Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable Sports Latest Stories Howard, Harden propel Rockets past Mavericks Fisher takes medalist honor in SWC meet Tornado cruises to win over Willamette Panthers rally for SWC victory Sheldon joins North atop SWC Varsity 541 College Sports Marshall stays with Ducks to get better Eckert, Beavers take series from Arizona Randall drives SOU into postseason Beaver fans get first look at Andersen, Collins Raiders drop two pitching duels at EOU Pro Sports Howard, Harden propel Rockets past Mavericks Injuries again have a major role in playoffs We should appreciate Jabbar while he’s still with us Bucs have front-runner for draft, stay mum Vogt homer powers A's past Angels Community Sports Bailey picks up modified win Wilson delivers in return of local boxing Palmer breezes to second straight men’s title Business Latest Stories Jackson County's March unemployment rate returns to pre-recession level Ride & Drive: 2015.5 Volvo V60 Cross Country Burger joint coming to Ashland Rogue Credit Union nearing $1 billion in assets Ride & Drive: 2015 Ford F-150 Real Estate News Naumes plans custom-crush winery in former packing house GREEN ACRES: Southern Oregon provides escape from the maddening crowd Since You Asked: Metro Medford rebranding proved economical Jackson County median home price hits $215,000 in first quarter People In Business People in Business, March 26, 2015 Transportation Business briefs Medford airport's record run continues Gov. Brown touts need for transportation funding in talk to Medford chamber Erickson shores up business with three contracts Lithia Motors shares break the $100 mark Agriculture Naumes plans custom-crush winery in former packing house New bosses take charge at Harry & David Dancin Vineyards covers up Broth maker leaves San Diego for Medford Opinion Latest Our View: Raises for Jackson County officials — again Letters to the Editor, April 22 Kathleen Parker: Mr. Hughes goes to Washington Landgren cartoon: Tick season Granlund cartoon: Minnesota ISIS Editorials Our View: Raises for Jackson County officials — again Other Views: Delay edible marijuana products for safety Our View: The rule of law vs. armed confrontation Other Views: State Board of Education dragging its feet over Native American mascots Our View: Impeachment should be an option Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, April 22 Letters to the Editor, April 21 Letters to the Editor, April 20 Letters to the Editor, April 19 Letters to the Editor, April 17 Columns Kathleen Parker: Mr. Hughes goes to Washington Esther Cepeda: What happens in Latin America should be reported Kathleen Parker: Presidential election 2016: The woman trap Dana Milbank: America's new cycle of partisan hatred George Will: Don't seize the raisins Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: This Earth Day, we celebrate the Northwest Forest Plan The Medford School Board was right: 'American Pageant' is a fine book, and the board did its homework The Medford School Board was wrong: 'American Pageant' is a political agenda, not history Guest Opinion: Removing barriers to walking, biking benefits everyone Guest Opinion: Conversion therapy on LGBT youth is child abuse Lifestyle Latest stories Dave Ramsey: Difference in debts 5 Things to Do This Weekend (April 24-26) Have you wandered down the Bear Creek Wine Trail yet? Group calls for release of handsome Utah wild horse that became online sensation Season Stepp: Learn how to cook asparagus with a few easy tips Food Have you wandered down the Bear Creek Wine Trail yet? Season Stepp: Learn how to cook asparagus with a few easy tips Wholesome baby foods: Chef, nutritionist team up for book of homemade recipes Food for Thought: The new place of dairy on a paleo plate Kitchen Call: Asparagus with a ‘spring’ chicken Home and Garden Garden Cameos: Spring is time for azaleas in the garden Dear Monty: Seven costly mistakes of new real estate investors Paul Rogers: Enjoy convenience of container gardening Home Help: 3 quick, easy kitchen and bath upgrades Carol Link: Tea olive shrubs can be propagated from new growth Health Brent St. Germain: One year and counting Community blog: The Healing Power of Nature Official hopeful whooping cough case at John Muir contained Health Watch: How to avoid the dreaded weight-loss plateau Book Notes: A big body is not a bad body Hiking Biking Faith Religion Briefs: Friday, April 17 Religion briefs: Friday, April 10 Religion briefs: Friday, April 3 Religion briefs: Friday, March 27 Milestones and Achievements Witham's birthday bash draws hundreds for 1950s prices Charlesworth-Murphy Drizzle doesn't dampen Pear Blossom Parade spirit New Arrivals: Sunday, April 12 Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Five picks for entertainment this week L.A. rockers The Relationship play Howiee's Joanne Rand at the Unitarian Fellowship Rogue Valley Symphony and 3 Leg Torso mingle classical with modern chamber music Third Fridays celebrates poetry, student art Theater 'Secret Love' playwright Stan Lai appears in Ashland REVIEW: 'Secret Love' strikes comical, poignant balance Ashland New Plays Festival chooses new artistic director A tale of two plays at OSF Oregon Cabaret Theatre's "The Musical!" delivers five clever Broadway parodies in Ashland Music Alex de Grassi and Andrew York play SOU Live Music in Local Clubs L.A. rockers The Relationship play Howiee's Joanne Rand at the Unitarian Fellowship Rogue Valley Symphony and 3 Leg Torso mingle classical with modern chamber music Community Events Third Fridays celebrates poetry, student art 'BRAND,' 'Western' among Ashland Independent Film Festival award winners Ashland Co-Dependent Film Festival 2015 Pear Blossom Festival kicks off in Medford Ashland Independent Film Festival announces 2015 lineup Dining Have you wandered down the Bear Creek Wine Trail yet? Restaurant inspections: April 19, 2015 Siam Cafe offers 'mild' to 'very spicy' Thai cuisine Restaurant inspections, April 12, 2015 La Tapatia offers authentically delicious cuisine Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW Our View: Raises for Jackson County officials — again ... Medford, Talent language groups hope to attract Spanish speakers ... Serial killer Susan Monica found guilty on all charges, gets 50 years ... Our View: Raises for Jackson County officials — again ... Medford, Talent language groups hope to attract Spanish speakers ... Serial killer Susan Monica found guilty on all charges, gets 50 years ... Season Stepp: Learn how to cook asparagus with a few easy tips By Season Stepp More Content Now MailTribune.com By Season Stepp More Content Now Posted Apr. 21, 2015 @ 8:03 am Updated Apr 21, 2015 at 8:47 AM By Season Stepp More Content Now Posted Apr. 21, 2015 @ 8:03 am Updated Apr 21, 2015 at 8:47 AM » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> In most parts of the country, spring means asparagus is now in abundance. This is great news for both the home cook and for those restaurants involved in the popular farm-to-table movement. Growing asparagus is an investment in time and garden space. Once planted, the first crop takes two to three years before harvesting, but once it is established, it grows steadily. Under perfect conditions, a young stalk of green asparagus can grow as much as one inch in one hour. These asparagus beds may continue to produce for 15 to 20 years. Asparagus is best when not overcooked. Few things are more discouraging than army green colored sticks from a can. Fresh, well-prepared asparagus is healthy, delicious, and easily cooked if you follow a few simple tips. 1. Choose asparagus bunches with young, tender stalks, and extend storage life in the fridge by placing stalks in an open jar with a little water in the bottom. 2. When preparing to cook asparagus, trimming is required. Remove the base by holding a stalk by both ends and bending it until it snaps. The point where it snaps separates the edible from the inedible. Since most of the stalks in a bunch have about the same length of woody base, cut all remaining stalks to the length of the snapped stalk, discarding the bottom 2-3 inches. 3. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the very outside of the asparagus to prevent the stringiness that is often an annoyance when eating. 4. The easiest way to prepare asparagus is to blanch and saute. Begin by bringing a pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add a generous amount of kosher or sea salt — the water should taste of sea water. Add about half a bunch of trimmed asparagus into the water and cook until bright green and tender, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Use a slotted spoon or spider to remove from the water and immediately plunge into a bowl of ice water. This will stop the cooking and keep the asparagus bright. Drain and pat dry. Blanching can be done a day or two in advance. When ready to saute, preheat a saute pan over medium. When hot, add a little olive oil or unsalted butter. When the oil shimmers or the butter begins to foam, add the asparagus and toss to coat. Cook until warmed through, then season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately. Asparagus, Gruyere and Mushroom Tart with Balsamic Drizzle Ingredients: 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed 1 cup balsamic vinegar Olive oil 1 small onion, peeled and finely diced 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced ½ bunch of asparagus, trimmed and diced 2 cloves garlic, pressed, or peeled and grated 2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed and chopped, plus more for garnish 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut puff pastry sheets into 12 squares, and place them on baking sheet lined with a silicone liner or parchment paper. Place another baking sheet on top of the puff pastry and bake until the squares are crisp and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly. Change oven setting to broil. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the vinegar to a boil then lower to a simmer. Cook until reduced to about 1/3 cup. The consistency should be that of syrup. The reduction will thicken further once it cools. Set aside. Heat a medium saute pan over medium heat, and add enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot, add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until most of the moisture has evaporated, about another 5-7 minutes. Add the asparagus and cook until slightly tender, about 2 minutes longer. Add the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly. With the puff pastry squares still on the baking sheet, spread some of the mushroom mixture on the pastry, and sprinkle some of the cheese on top of the mushrooms. Place back in the oven under the broiler and allow the cheese to melt, about 2 minutes. Garnish with fresh thyme and serve immediately with the balsamic drizzle. Roasted Asparagus with Tomato Vinaigrette Ingredients: 2 pounds fresh asparagus, rinsed and trimmed 3 cloves garlic, pressed or peeled and grated 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 lemon, zested Warm Tomato Vinaigrette (recipe follows) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place asparagus and garlic on a baking sheet lined with a silicone liner or parchment paper. Toss with the olive oil, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place in the oven, and roast until the asparagus is browned on the edges and fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, and toss with the lemon zest. Serve immediately with warm tomato vinaigrette. Warm Tomato Vinaigrette Ingredients: Olive oil 1 cup cherry tomatoes ¼ onion, peeled and cut into chunks 2 cloves garlic, peel on 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar 1 teaspoon honey Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a baking dish, combine tomatoes, onion and garlic, drizzle with olive oil and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast until tomatoes burst and the onion is beginning to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and when the garlic is cool enough to handle, press the roasted garlic meat from its peel. Add it and the remaining contents of baking dish into the carafe of a blender. Add vinegar and honey. Puree until smooth. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Oven-Baked Asparagus Fries Ingredients: 2 pounds asparagus 2 eggs ½ cup cornstarch 1 cup panko breadcrumbs ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese Olive oil spray Creamy Parmesan Dipping Sauce (recipe follows) Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silicone liner or aluminum foil. Remove the tough, woody end of the asparagus by holding by each end and bending until it snaps. The snapping point indicates where the woodiness ends and the tender asparagus begins. Use this asparagus as a template and cut the remaining bunch at this point. Use a vegetable peeler to very lightly peel the asparagus to remove the stringy outer layer. This will make the asparagus easier to eat. Place the eggs in a bowl a baking dish and beat until very well combined. Place cornstarch in a shallow dish, and combine panko and Parmesan cheese in another dish. Generously season the panko mixture with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Dip a few of the asparagus into the cornstarch and dredge to coat. Knock off any excess. Dip into the eggs, then into the panko mixture. Press to adhere. Place in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet and spritz with olive oil spray. Repeat with remaining asparagus and bake until golden brown and crispy, about 10-12 minutes. Serve immediately with the Creamy Parmesan Dipping Sauce. Creamy Parmesan Dipping Sauce Ingredients: 2 heads of garlic Olive oil ½ cup mayonnaise ½ cup sour cream ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese ½ lemon, zested and juiced 2 teaspoons chives, thinly sliced into rounds Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut ¼ inch off the top of the head of garlic. Place in the center of a square of aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil. Crimp the foil to make a closed packet and roast in the oven until the garlic cloves are very soft, about 20-30 minutes. When cool enough to handle, press the head of garlic from the bottom, squeezing out the roasted cloves. In the bowl of a mini-chop food processor or using an immersion blender, puree the roasted garlic cloves with mayonnaise, sour cream, Parmesan cheese and lemon zest and juice. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Fold in chives and refrigerate until ready to use. Season Stepp is a correspondent for The Spartanburg (S.C.) Herald-Journal. Reach Stepp at [email protected] By Season Stepp More Content Now MailTribune.com By Season Stepp More Content Now Posted Apr. 21, 2015 @ 8:03 am Updated Apr 21, 2015 at 8:47 AM » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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