Recipes | Northern Wyoming Daily News, Worland, Wyoming

Local Flavor by Susan Lockhart

We round out our salute to National Asparagus Month with some more information from  the University of Illinois Extension Service:

Asparagus is spring’s most luxurious vegetable. It was once cultivated for medicinal purposes as a natural remedy for blood cleansing and diuretic properties. During the Renaissance, asparagus was also promoted as an aphrodisiac and banned from the tables of most nunneries.

Botanically, asparagus is a member of the lily family, closely related to onions and leeks, though it bears no resemblance to them in appearance or flavor. It is a finicky plant, harvested by hand and requiring much attention during the brief growing season. Left to mature it will sprout into beautiful feathery ferns that are often used in floral arrangements.

While Europeans prize white asparagus, Americans tend to prefer the green or violet-green varieties. When buying asparagus look for compact tips and smooth green stems that are uniform in color down the length of the stem. Check the cut stem end for any signs of drying and always avoid withered spears.

Pencil thin or thick stems can be equally delicious. Contrary to popular belief, thinner stems are not an indication of tenderness. Thick stems are already thick when they poke their heads out of the soil and thin stems do not get thicker with age. Tenderness is related to maturity and freshness.

Asparagus comes in a variety of colors including white, violet-green, pink and purple. If you must store any variety of asparagus, treat it as you would treat a cut flower. Trim the stems and stand them in a glass with one to two inches of water. Cover with a plastic bag and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days or until ready to use.

Asparagus is low in calories and provides substantial amounts of two antioxidants—vitamin A and C. It truly shines as a source of folate and has a goodly amount of fiber.

Nutrition Facts: (Serving size, 1/2 cup cooked) Calories, 90; Protein, 2 grams; Carbohydrates, 4 grams; Dietary Fiber, 1.5 grams; Potassium, 144 mg; Vitamin C, 10 mg; Folate, 131 mcg; Vitamin A, 485 IU.

Cook asparagus as soon as possible to ensure peak flavor. Spears start to lose flavor and moisture as soon as they are harvested. For this reason, imported asparagus, while still good, tends to lack flavor, making home grown Michigan and Illinois spring crops most desirable.

To prepare, wash under cool running water and trim an inch from the stem end. Use a vegetable peeler to peel an inch or two off the bottom end, if desired. The peelings can be added to the cooking water which, can be refrigerated and reused. The water becomes quite flavorful and is excellent in stock and soup.

Asparagus can be eaten raw, steamed, boiled, grilled, roasted or incorporated into casseroles and salads. Tall narrow asparagus kettles are designed to cook the spears upright, immersing the stems while the tender heads steam. It is not necessary to purchase an asparagus kettle in order to cook asparagus properly. The key to perfectly cooked asparagus is "cook it briefly."

The flavor of asparagus marries well with many ingredients and it is equally delicious dressed simply with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Raw asparagus is also tasty served as crudités with a flavorful dipping sauce. When using asparagus as a salad, always wait until serving time to add the dressing as the high acid content of most dressings will turn the spears yellow. Add fresh chives, savory, thyme, and tarragon to enhance the flavor of cooked asparagus.

The best home preservation method to use for asparagus is freezing.

Select young tender spears. Wash thoroughly and sort into like sizes.

Trim ends and peel or use the "break method" described above. Cut spears into even lengths to fit freezer bags or freezer containers.

Water blanch small spears 2 minutes, medium spears 3 minutes and large spears 4 minutes.

Remove from blanching water and immediately immerse in ice water for 5 minutes to cool. Drain slightly.

Package, leaving no headspace, seal, label, date and freeze at zero degrees or below for up to one year.

Sautéed Asparagus with Mushrooms

1 pound asparagus, trimmed
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme,
chopped or 1/2 teaspoon dried
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a large skillet, bring 2 inches of water to a boil with a teaspoon salt. Prepare a bowl of ice water and set aside.

Add asparagus to the boiling water and cook 4 to 5 minutes or until barely tender but still firm. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the spears to the ice water bath. Leave in ice water 5 minutes or until cool. Drain and set aside. Discard blanching water.

Using the same skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, asparagus, thyme and salt and pepper to taste.

Sauté until mushrooms are wilted and the asparagus is just heated through, about 3 to 4 minutes. Serve warm or chilled.

Yields 4 servings.

Berry Trifle

Ingredients

  • 1  4-serving-size package instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 2  cups milk
  • 1  8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
  • 1  6-ounce container vanilla yogurt
  • 1  10.75-ounce frozen loaf pound cake, thawed and cubed (3/4-inch cubes)
  • 6  cups strawberries, quartered
  • 2  cups blueberries and/or raspberries
  • 1  recipe Berry Sauce

Directions

1. Prepare pudding mix according to package directions using the milk; set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese and yogurt with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth; stir in pudding.

2. To assemble trifle, in a 2-1/2- to 3-quart glass bowl layer one-third of the cake cubes, one-third of the pudding mixture, and one-third of the strawberries and blueberries. Repeat layers twice. Cover and chill 4 to 24 hours. Spoon Berry Sauce onto individual serving plates; top with trifle. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

3. Berry Sauce: In a blender or food processor combine 2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed) strawberries or raspberries, 2 to 3 tablespoons sugar, and 1 tablespoon raspberry liqueur, rum, or orange juice. Cover and blend or process until smooth. If desired, press sauce through a fine-mesh sieve to remove seeds. Cover and chill until serving time or up to 24 hours. Makes 1 cup.

Skillet Tostadas

Ingredients

Directions

1. In a 10-inch skillet cook ground beef and onion until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain fat; discard. Stir beans, soup, and salsa into beef mixture. Heat through.

2. Divide beef-bean mixture among tostada shells. Top with cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes. If desired, serve with sour cream or avocado dip. Makes 4 servings.

3. Skillet Tacos: Prepare as above, except omit tostada shells. Warm 8 corn taco shells according to package directions. Divide beef-bean mixture among taco shells.

Sesame-Crusted Salmon

Ingredients

Directions

1. Thaw fish, if frozen. Rinse fish; pat dry with paper towels. Cut into 4 serving size pieces. Set aside.

2. For sauce, in a small bowl combine mayonnaise, red sweet pepper, lemon juice and chives. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Cover and chill until serving time.

3. In a shallow dish bowl stir together the flour, white sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place milk in a shallow dish. Dip salmon in milk. Firmly press both sides of fish in flour mixture.

4. In a 10-inch skillet cook fish in hot oil over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve sauce with fish. If desired, garnish with lemon or lime wedges and fresh watercress.

5. Make-Ahead Directions: Prepare sauce; cover and chill up to 24 hours. Prepare fish as directed above. Stir sauce before serving; if necessary, stir in a little extra water.

Pumpkin Tiramisu

Ingredients

Directions

1. Line a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap; set aside. For syrup, in a small bowl, combine maple syrup and bourbon. Set aside.

2. For filling, in a small bowl, combine pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. In a small mixing bowl, combine 1/2 cup whipping cream and granulated sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl). Gently fold whipped cream into pumpkin mixture.

3. For topping, in another small mixing bowl, combine mascarpone cheese and powdered sugar. Beat on low speed until combined. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup whipping cream just until thickened (do not overbeat).

4. To assemble, arrange half of the ladyfingers in a single layer in the bottom of the prepared pan. Drizzle evenly with half of the syrup. Top with half of the filling, spreading evenly. Arrange remaining ladyfingers in a single layer over filling. Drizzle with remaining syrup and top with remaining filling. Dollop topping over filling. Using the back of a spoon, carefully spread topping evenly over filling. Cover and chill for 8 to 24 hours.

5. Use the plastic wrap to lift tiramisu out of pan. Place tiramisu on a serving platter. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Carefully cut the dessert crosswise into slices. Makes 6 servings.

Witch Hat

Ingredients

Directions

1. Melt semisweet chocolate according to the package instructions. Holding the open end of the cone, dip the bottom half at an angle into the melted chocolate. Immediately press candy pumpkins into the chocolate. Place the cone on waxed paper and let sit until the chocolate sets.

2. Frost the top and side surfaces of a doughnut with icing. Sprinkle icing with nonpareils or sprinkles. Center the open end of the cone on the frosted doughnut. Use a sharp knife to cut candies or gum pieces into quarters and adhere them around the bottom of the hat with icing.