Asparagus Has Sprung Up

You know spring is on its way when asparagus starts sprouting up at the Coronado Farmers Market.

What is it?

The perennial plant known for its woody stem and tasty tips is for sale right now at Yasukochi Family Farms, located in the back corner of the market. Asparagus is known for being low-cal (which is why we feel better about dousing them in hollandaise) and high in fiber.

When shopping for the green sticks, make sure you look for ones whose tips are still closed up tight. Asparagus that have started to flower, or open, tend to be older and more woody, making them tougher to chew. Thicker stalks should be peeled to get to the tender meat of the asparagus, but thin ones can be eaten as is.

Trivia: What’s that smell?

It’s a known fact that if you eat asparagus, your urine will have strong odor. Some people believe that it’s a genetic trait—but the genetic trait may not be whether or not your urine has the odor, but perhaps whether or not you can smell it!

Asparagus has a sulfur compound called mercaptan, the same stuff you smell in eggs. According to a study reported by Live Science, researches believe that everyone’s body reacts the same way to this compound, but that genetic differences in olfactory receptors may stop some people from smelling them.

How to prepare?

Asparagus need to be trimmed. Their roots are woody and tough and shouldn’t be on your plate. Some people like to take the whole bunch and simply cut off the bottom inch and a half at one time. I let nature do its thing.

Asparagus will naturally break off at the point where it’s meant. If you bend the stalk, it will snap perfectly where tender meets tough, leaving you with prepared veggies. So take the asparagus in your hand and snap it, like you would a twig. That’s it! No knives needed!

How to eat?

As the weather gets warmer, pull out the grill and cook the asparagus over some high flames to get them a little charred. They’ll get tender-crisp and have a nice smoky flavor. All you need to do is toss them with some vegetable oil (not olive oil, since vegetable oil has a higher smoke point) and some seasoning of your choice. I keep it simple and just use pepper and seasoned salt.

You can also blanch asparagus, which will help them maintain a bright, green color, or you can steam them until they’re soft and serve your favorite hollandaise or béchamel over them.

Another quick and tasty way to prepare the green guys is to sauté. Drizzle a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a pan and throw in some chopped garlic and crushed red pepper. Heat over medium heat until garlic starts to turn light brown and throw the asparagus in, tossing to coat. Cook for about 8 minutes, or until tender-crisp.

You can also use asparagus tips in risottos and pastas. One of my favorite dishes takes just 20 minutes to prepare – penne, cooked according to package directions, tossed with a pesto (homemade or store-bought), asparagus tips that have been sautéed and chopped sundried tomatoes. Finish it off with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and you’ve got dinner for the whole family!

Yasukochi Family Farms sells their asparagus for $3 a bunch or two bunches for $5. Happy eating!