POPULAR ASPARAGUS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 15, Issue 383, 25 October 1946, Page 26

POPULAR ASPARAGUS

whether tinned or fresh, but now that the new season’s asparagus is coming in, let us make good use of it while we can. Of course, there is the ordinary method of boiling asparagus, in slightly salted water till tender. If you stand the asparagus upright with the tips up, they stay whole and tidy and the tips don’t get damaged. Or you could steam the asparagus in a steamer over hot water. Always wash fresh asparagus to get any sand out of the tips. Melted butter is nice with plain boiled or steamed asparagus, but there are one or two tasty sauces. Also try some of these asparagus dishes, which can be served for luncheons or teas, and are quite nourishing. Dutch Sauce for Asparagus Put 3 or 4 ounces of butter in a jar with the yolks of 2 eggs, salt and pepper, and 2 tablespoons of water. Place the jar in a saucepan of boiling water, and stir till it thickens. Flavour with lemon juice or vinegar, and serve with the asparagus nicely cooked. Marinated Asparagus Half a cup of salad or olive oil; 4 tablespoons of lemon juice; 2 tablespoons of minced celery; 1 bay leaf; 1 teaspoon of minced chives or onion; 1 sprig of fresh or dried thyme; 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of paprika. Combine the oil arid lemon juice, beating till it is well blended, and then add the other ingredients, Chill this for about half an hour, if you have a refrigerator. Remove the bay leaf and the thyme, and beat up well again. Now pour over the cooked and drained asparagus, arranging on the serving dish. Lettuce and other greens may be added, too. Asparagus in Milk If the asparagus does not look quite perfect, cut the stalks into inch lengths, and put in the top of a double boiler, with just enough milk to cover. Put the lid on tightly, and cook over hot water till tender. Then add for every cup of milk,.a dessertspoon of butter creamed with the same quantity of flour. Add salt and pepper to taste. This is delicious served on toast. Asparagus and Peas Two cups of hot cooked asparagus cut into inch lengths; 34% cups of hot cooked peas; 2 tablespoons of melted butter; and salt and pepper to taste, Just mix them all together, and it is a delightful combination. és Grilled Asparagus Half cook the asparagus tips in the usual‘ way. Take them out, dust with pepper and salt, and roll in fine breadcrumbs mixed with melted butter. Put them into an already heated griljing pan, and grill for about 8 minutes, turning them so that they are brown all: over. Sprinkle with grated cheese, and serve at once. Asparagus Souffle Prepare a good white sauce in the usual way. When it is cooked, stir in a cupful of cooked and chopped asparagus, A is always popular,

and add 3 well-beaten egg yolks. Lastly fold in the stiffly whipped whites, turn it all into a buttered dish, and bake about 20 or 30 minutes in a moderate oven. Leave plenty of room in the dish for the souffle to rise. Asparagus Eggs One small tin of asparagus tips, or a small bunch of cooked asparagus; 14202, of butter or good fat; 2 dessertspoons of flour; 4 tablespoons of grated cheese; about a’cup of milk; 6 hard-boiled eggs; 1 small cup of soft breadcrumbs; and salt and pepper to taste. Drain the liquid from the asparagus, and make up to 2 cups with milk, Shell and mash up two of the eggs. Stand the rest in boiling water to keep hot. Save a few pieces of asparagus for garnishing, and chop up the remainder. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour and blend. Remove from the fire, gradually stir in the milk mixture, return to the fire, and stir till it boils. Let it cook a’few minutes, then add the mashed eggs, asparagus, crumbs, cheese, pepper and salt. Heat to boiling point, shell the hot hard-boiled eggs. Cut each in half. Pour the mixture into a pyrex dish, stand the egg halves up in this, Decorate with asparagus tips, and put it in the oven just to warm through again. Baked Asparagus One quart of cooked asparagus, cut into pieces, or two bunches; 42 cup of chopped cream cheese; 2 hard-boiled eggs; 3 tablespoons of butter; 2 tablespoons of flour; and 2 cupfuls of milk; and salt and pepper to taste, Put layers of asparagus in a buttered baking dish, together with the grated cheese, sliced egg, salt and pepper. Then repeat this till everything is used up. Make a white sauce of the butter, flour and milk, and pour over the mixture in the dish. Bake in a moderate oven for about 45 minutes, Preserved Asparagus ' Wash choice stalks of asparagus thoroughly in cold water. Then pack them® firmly into preserving jars, with the tips up. Boil up loz. of sugar and 340z. of salt to each quart of water, for about 5 minutes. Let this cool, and then pour it into the jars of asparagus. Put the lids on loosely, and then sterilise them at boiling point for threé hours. This can be done in the water bath-a big vessel with water to come to the necks of the jars-or in the oven. Take the jars out one by one, screw the lids on tightly, and let cool. The jars must be absolutely airtight, of course, as always in preserving.