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Is Asparagus the Perfect Vegetable?

October 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment

If You Ask Me - Yes, Yes, Yes!

Asparagus Steamer

In the banner I made for this food blog , I tried to include my favorite things in the kitchen. I couldn’t put all of my kitchen obsessions there – for various reasons:

  1. Cream cheese wouldn’t stand out against the white background, but it’s an absolute obsession.
  2. I couldn’t work the jar of honey into the scheme of things – but I’m all about honey.
  3. The cup of tea caused it to look like there were two cups of coffee – not that I’m ever against the idea.
  4. My coconut looked like a shrunken head. True story.
  5. Catfish simply isn’t pretty.
  6. I was afraid that my cat Alexa’s pic would make people think I ate cats, but she’s my constant, beloved, kitchen companion.
  7. My avocado picture looked more like a grenade than an avocado, but my kitchen is seldom without a bowl of avocados.

You will notice, however, that I worked asparagus in.  And in a big way. He’s looming pretty large, isn’t he?  I just can’t get enough of this versatile, delicious, and always beautiful vegetable. I actually once planned on building a website/blog dedicated to asparagus and only asparagus. I even had a name for it (Asparagus Tips…. get it? Tips?? So clever.) but when I saw that the domain name was taken, yet not even used, I put the idea in the cupboard.

Did You Know?
Asparagus, a spring vegetable, is a member of the lily family. Under “just right” conditions, an asparagus spear can grow 10″ in a 24-hour period!

Shown at the top of the post is the Stainless Steel Asparagus/Vegetables Steamer.  This ingenious steamer allows you to steam your asparagus with the stalks upright while the delicate tips are gently steamed in boiling water.

Apparently, I’m not the only one who’s ever been obsessed with asparagus. France’s Louis XIV had special greenhouses built for growing this delicious vegetable and Madame de Pompadour is said to have eaten asparagus tips with great passion. The Greeks and Romans ate asparagus fresh when it was in season and dried it for eating during the winter. I’d love to know their technique – just out of curiosity. Can you imagine how excited they’d have been if they could eat asparagus year-round like we’re able to do?!

A few ideas and suggestions for serving Asparagus:

  • One of my favorite ways to cook asparagus is my Simply Delicious Asparagus recipe.
  • My husband’s favorite way for me to cook asparagus is when I use my Cast Iron Skillet. It’s heavenly fixed this way, very flavorful. See Cast Iron Skillet Asparagus.
  • Cut up fresh asparagus for tossed salads. You can never have too much flavor or nutrients in a salad and I’m hooked on the crunch!
  • Add steamed asparagus to omelets and scrambled eggs – along with red pepper and chives, you’re absolutely set.
  • Serve cooked asparagus alongside fried or poached eggs – covering everything with Hollandaise Sauce.
  • Serve steamed asparagus with roasted pine nuts or sunflower seeds for extra flavor and fun.
  • Serve asparagus alongside cooked, sliced potatoes and cover all of it with Hollandaise Sauce.
  • Speaking of Hollandaise Sauce, my favorite recipe is Tyler Florence’s Hollandaise Sauce.

Health Benefits of Asparagus:
The health and nutritional benefits of asparagus are very impressive: Very low in sodium, asparagus has no fat and no cholesterol. Asparagus is high in Folic Acid and is a good source of potassium, fiber, vitamin B6, vitamins A and C, and thiamin. But there’s more. Asparagus is also a great source of vitamin D and the antioxidant glutathione. Each of which (along with Folic Acid) are believed to play some role in lowering risk factors for certain cancers.

 

Filed Under: Asparagus Recipes, Health and Fitness, Vegetables Tagged With: ,

Simply Calphalon Nonstick 12-in. Jumbo Fryer Review

March 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment

There's Nothing I Don't Love About this Pan

Simply Calphalon Nonstick 12-in. Jumbo FryerAs I said in a recent post (appropriately enough, another post about Calphalon), if you want to be the best cook on the block, you’d better surround yourself with the best tools on the block.  If you surround yourself with second, third, or fourth best – guess where you’ll fall in the lineup.  Honestly, a serious cook MUST arm himself/herself with quality cookware, bakeware, and other cooking tools.  They last practically forever and allow your creativity and know-how to shine through.

One of the best things a quality pan has going for it is the fact that it isn’t a cheap pan.  Cheap pans (the kind hanging in your department store that are priced so low you think, “This is too good to be true!” – you nailed it) are nightmares to clean as everything seems to stick to them and refuse to let go.  Calphalon Nonstick pans are the complete opposite – they practically wash and put themselves away.

The only thing is, my Calphalon pans are so darn handsome, I refuse to put them away!   It’s like, “Here. Sit out and show off your beauty.”  Besides, they’re used daily, why bother letting them get out of reach?

The Simply Calphalon Nonstick 12-in. Jumbo Fryer shown above is my newest obsession.  I honestly use this gorgeous beast for everything under the sun – make that under the kitchen light.  I don’t fry that many foods, actually, but when I do break down and revert to my southern roots, the shape of this pan is deep and contoured enough to hold plenty of oil without making a spectacular mess.  It’s ideal for frying shrimp, chicken wings, okra, squash, corn nuggets, doughnut holes, and just about anything you can dream up.

I use my new obsession for…

  • Spaghetti Sauce
  • Taco Filling
  • Fried Rice
  • Baked Beans
  • Risotto
  • Squash
  • Asparagus

I named the recipe below in honor of the Simply Calphalon Nonstick 12-in. Jumbo Fryer.  After using this pan to make asparagus this way for a dozen times, it seemed only fair.

Simply Delicious Asparagus Recipe

1 pound fresh asparagus spears, trimmed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced

Heat olive oil in the Simply Calphalon Jumbo Fryer.   Add garlic and the salt and pepper.  Heat the minced garlic for almost a minute,  and make certain you don’t let it brown.  Turn the heat down a little and add the trimmed asparagus.  Cook for 8 – 10 minutes.  Frequently turn the asparagus to ensure even cooking. Also, you may want to adjust the cooking time to suit your own taste. Some people like for their asparagus to be almost noodle limp (not me, not me, not me!) while others want it to have a lot more gumption. I’d rather mine have a little snap to it, actually.  Since stovetops and food preferences vary, always remember to test the asparagus as you go along.

Another tip: When I made Simply Asparagus recently, I added a tsp of Land O’ Lakes Light Butter with Canola Oil to the pan before the olive oil.  It gave an extra flavor that was outstanding.

Simply Calphalon Nonstick 12-Inch Jumbo Fryer Product Description:

Deep-fry a few chicken wings, sauté a steak, or pop a casserole in the oven. Deep enough to hold hot oil and even certain stews and sauces. Simply Calphalon makes choosing cookware a simple proposition. Everything that counts in cookware: delicious results, good looks, easy clean-up and durability is built right into it. An ideal choice for cooking enthusiasts of every budget, Simply Calphalon is constructed to meet Calphalon’s strict standards for performance and durability. Designed with an eye toward simple elegance, capturing the essence of Calphalon style. – From Calphalon’s Website

Features:

  • Vessel Construction: Drawn construction.
  • Crafted from a disc of virtually pure, medium-gauge, hard anodized aluminum for even heating.
  • Hard anodized aluminum exterior will not chip or crack.
  • Key Performance: 2 layers of nonstick coating for extended performance.
  • Cooks with little to no oil or fats.
  • Effortless food release.
  • Non-reactive with foods.
  • Safe for use with nylon, coated or wooden utensils.
  • Handles: Contoured, cast stainless steel with silicone for added comfort and heat-resistance. Double riveted for durable performance.
  • Covers: Tempered glass. Allows easy monitoring of the cooking process. Domed shape returns moisture to foods. Stainless steel bands reinforce glass and complements handles.

Everything that counts in cookware; delicious results, good looks, easy clean-up, durability is built right into it!

  • Calphalon’s signature hard-anodized aluminum construction for excellent conductivity and even heating.
  • Tempered glass covers
  • The interior surface is double-coated with Calphalon’s sturdy, reliable nonstick coating.

This is one extra-special pan and you’ll wonder how you ever got along without it.  Don’t let the name “Jumbo Fryer” fool you, though.  This guy does it all, and beautifully.  Clean up could not be easier – but the real beauty lies in the performance.  Calphalon pans will not let you down.  With Calphalon by your side, you’ll be the cook you always wanted to be.

Click HERE to read more about the Simply Calphalon Nonstick 12 inch Jumbo Fryer.  The price is so extraordinary, I’m tempted to buy a second one.  While asparagus is cooking in one, I can make German Fries in the other.

Man, am I getting hungry….

Filed Under: Asparagus Recipes, Cookware Reviews, Reviews, Vegetables, Vegetarian Dishes Tagged With: , , ,

Fresh Ways to Make Asparagus: Grilled and Baked Recipes

April 12, 2010 By 1 Comment

Asparagus Recipes You'll LOVE

I mentioned a few posts back that I’ve kind of gotten stuck in Steamed Asparagus with Hollandaise sauce Heaven.  Not that there’s a single solitary thing wrong with this delectable dish – but I’d been wanting to try a new dance step with asparagus.   So, I did just that a couple of times this week.

Baked Asparagus: Wednesday night, I baked asparagus.  I washed the fresh asparagus (about 1-1/2 pounds), and snapped off the tough ends.  I laid the asparagus down – with sides not touching – in a baking tray (a shallow cake pan is fine).  I sprinkled the stalks with olive oil, salt, freshly ground pepper, chopped parsley (about 2 tablespoons), and garlic powder.  Then I baked them just until the asparagus was tender – a little over 5 minutes.

Cast Iron Skillet Asparagus. Sunday Night, I used my cast iron grill skillet.  I let the iron skillet heat up (to a medium-high temp.) while I prepared the asparagus (washed, trimmed).  Then I brushed olive oil onto each stalk before placing it into the skillet.  I seasoned the asparagus lightly with salt, pepper, and garlic pepper.  I turned the stalks over after a few minutes, lightly seasoning the newly exposed side.  At this point, I added a small amount of water to the bottom of the pan.  The water created a lovely little sauna for the seasoned asparagus and, in no time at all, they were ready for the platter.  When I removed them to the platter, I lightly squeezed a little fresh lime over the glistening beauties.

Notice I say “lightly” seasoned?  The reason for this is the fact that cooking with cast iron gives you an outrageously amazing flavor that I frankly don’t want to mess with.  Because of this incredible flavor, you can bypass the extra calories that come with many sauces, seasonings, and spreads (sigh, even Hollandaise Sauce).  If you’re an asparagus fan, you seriously have to try this technique – it’s outstanding.

It’s tough to give exact times when giving vegetable recipes such as these simply because people like their vegetables cooked differently.  I prefer mine to retain a little crispiness, while others like for them to collapse under the weight of a fork.

As always, just stay close by and test for yourself when you think your vegetables (in this case asparagus) are done.

Another tip:  You might even want to use one asparagus stalk as a guinea pig.  Take him through the motions and see how much, if any, seasonings you think are necessary.  I SWEAR, cast iron magically creates its own flavor and seasonings.  After taking my single stalk through the motions, I realized it was delicious as it was but that I wanted to experiment with more seasonings…. lightly.

I can’t wait to try asparagus recipes (as well as other vegetable recipes) on the grill.  Grilled asparagus, grilled corn, grilled bell peppers, grilled mushrooms – all served alongside an orzo/rice combination makes my mouth water and my heart beat a little faster.  What a tasty summer this will be!

The beauty at the top of the post is the Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Cobalt Square Grill Pan 10.25-in.. This grill pan, which will soon become your best friend in the kitchen, is available through Amazon. Click the link for more information.

Filed Under: Asparagus Recipes, grilling, Quick and Easy Recipes, Southern Cooking, Spring Recipes, Summertime Favorites, Vegetables Tagged With: , ,
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