Nothing really sings of spring like Asparagus. The little stalks, poking up so proudly, and tasting so very green are the essence of all that is springtime. Asparagus was a seasonal vegetable before eating seasonally was cool – I remember eating lots of asparagus during my childhood, but only in the springtime. (Do not speak to me of the horror that is frozen asparagus or – shudder – CANNED asparagus. Part of the point of asparagus is its texture – that perfect balance between crisp and yielding with just a tiny snap as your teeth close on the stalk.
When it’s in season, I can’t resist buying a bunch of it every week. I include it in omelets, make it into soup, or saute it with some mild leeks. But my favorite asparagus preparations are the simplest ones that really let the vegetable shine. Steaming is traditional, but I was not gifted an Asparagus Steamer
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 2 T olive oil
- pinch salt
- 2 small or 1 medium tomato
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- Fresh ground black pepper
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Snap the bottoms off of asparagus right where it naturally snaps. (I know it seems like there's a lot of waste, but every time I've tried to circumvent this step, even by peeling the asparagus - it ends up stringy. Trust me. You can add the trimmings to your compost or use them to flavor soup).
- Line a baking sheet with foil, arrange the asparagus spears, drizzle with olive oil (rolling the spears around to coat each one with the oil) and sprinkle with salt.
- Roast for 15 minutes, or until just tender and lightly browned.
- Chop the tomatoes.
- In a small saucepan, combine the tomatoes, mayonnaise and plenty of fresh ground pepper.
- Heat over low heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce is a brilliant salmon pink and the tomatoes have softened.
- Serve warm over asparagus.
So go forth and enjoy your asparagus while it’s still in the market stalls, and the birds are singing and the flowers blooming.
