ASPARAGUS MAKES TASTY DISHES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 34, 3 November 1937, Page 12

ASPARAGUS MAKES TASTY DISHES

Many housewives will welcomo the return of tixe asparagus season as this delicious food offers new minerals and new menu combinations fcr the .wholo family and has a good vitamin content, roughage and lngh food value. Asparagus recipes will probably be welcomo and few cooks realise the delicious ways in which it may be served. Choose thick stalks because the lengthy thin ones usually 'indicate long growth and consequent toughness. MODERN METHOD OF COOKING The modern method of cooking is to tie the asparagus in small bunches suitable for individual service and cook them standing upright in boiling waxer. A coffee pot is good for the purpose Enough water to cover the thick part of the stalks should be used. In this way the heads cook jn the steam to* the most part. When the bunch is almost done, lay it flat in the water to linish cooking. This enspres a perfectly cooked, unbroken tip. When readv to serve reracve each bundle, cut and remove the strings and serve with melted butter, ASPARAGUS DISH. To make asparagus a substantial main dish, serve with a sauce made with 2 tablespoonfuls of ffour, raixed with 2 tablespoonfuls of butter aud seasonjng to suit. Add to this £ cup of hot milk. Let this mixture cook in a double boiler, stirring constantly. Add two hard boiled eggs well cut up. Put your asparagus on toast and pour the sauce over it. CREAMED ASPARAGUS AND EGGS. Cook oue bunch of asparagus until tender. and drain well, retainiug thrOequarters of a cup of the asparagus liquid. Hard boil 6 eggs, shell and

cut into halves lengthwise, and place in a buttered fireproof dish with the chopped asparagus. Make a, rich sauce, using 2 tablespoonfuls of butter, 1£ tablespoonfuls of ffour, the asparagus liquid, J cup* of m|lk and 1 tablespoonful of eream. Pour the sauce over the asparagus and eggs, and cover with breadcrumbs." Dot with small pieces of butter, bake in a moderate over until brown and heated through. Serve when hot. SPEOIAL LUNCHEON MOULD. Take one pint of aspic jelly, one bunch of cooked asparagus, mayonaise, one lettuce heart, cooked chicken, ham or tongue, tomatoes, Chop the asparagus and pour the slightly cooled jelly over it. Allow to set and when ready to serve unmould onto a dish on which lettuce leaves have been arranged. Fill the centre of the mould with chopped chicken, ham, tongpe or flaked salmon with a little mayonaise. Arrange slices of tomato (in season) round the outer edge of the mould and serve quite cpld. This is a delicious dish for a special luncbecn. DUTCH ASPARAGUS. Tak© one bunch of asparagus, loz. ' of butter, 1 tablespoonful of cream, Bait, pepper, pinch of nutmeg, 2 eggs, rounds of fried bread. Cook the asparagus plainly, then chop up the tender stalk part, reserving the tips, • Put the chopped stalk into a saucepan, add cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir uutil hot, then added the sieved ydk of tho hard boiled eggs. Pi!e, the mixture on thei rounds of fried bread, leaving the edges clear, arrange on a dish, garnish the tops with chopped white of egg and chbpped parsley round the edges with a little pile of asparagus tips in the middle.