3 Asparagus Recipes

Asparagus spears grow continually for about six to seven weeks from early May through mid- to late June, depending on temperature and rainfall. Here are three of our favorite recipes to make once the tender spears shoot up.

Roasted Asparagus with Blue Cheese and Bacon

  • 2 1/2 pounds medium asparagus
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
  • 5 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 2 bunches fresh chives

Directions: Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 500°F. Toss asparagus with oil, salt, and pepper in a large baking pan and arrange in a layer. Roast, shaking pan once about halfway through roasting, until asparagus is just tender, about 8 minutes total. To serve, tie a few spears into bundles using chives and sprinkle with blue cheese and bacon. Makes 6 servings.

Blanched Asparagus with Three Aiolis

  • 2 pounds fresh asparagus spears, raw or blanched in boiling water for one minute

For aioli:

  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Directions: Whisk all ingredients in small bowl to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for an hour to let flavors meld. Aioli can be prepared a day ahead. Serve with asparagus for dipping. Makes about 1 cup.

Variations: For herbed aioli, add 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon or rosemary. For saffron aioli, add a drizzle of honey, a pinch of saffron and grated orange zest.

Asparagus Toast

  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup
  • 12 ounces milk
  • 4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
  • 4 cups fresh asparagus, cleaned and cut in 11/2-inch pieces
  • 4 slices good quality bread
  • 4 eggs
  • paprika

Directions: Hard boil eggs. Set aside. Bring 2 cups of water to boil. Cook cleaned and cut asparagus for 1 to 2 minutes until bright green. Drain immediately and set aside. In large saucepan, combine mushroom soup and milk. When soup starts to bubble, remove from heat and add cheese. Stir until melted. Add cooked asparagus. Turn heat to low and return soup to burner to keep hot for serving. Do not overcook. Place bread in toaster. While bread is toasting, peel hard-boiled eggs. When toast is done, butter and place on four plates. Spoon a large amount of creamed asparagus over toast. Slice hardboiled eggs over each serving. Sprinkle with paprika and serve. Makes 4 servings.

By: MyNorth Media