Yes to Asparagus!

By Chef Judi Gallagher –

Asparagus is one of my favorite springtime vegetables, not just for taste but for versatility. There’s so much you can do with it. Roast it with olive oil, salt and pepper and top it with lemony homemade hollandaise and a fried egg. Choose asparagus as filling for Easter ravioli or make it part of a delicious green salad. Simply steam it (but keep the crunch), salt the stalks and enjoy. What could be easier or more fresh.

You’re probably used to seeing green asparagus, and for good reason: It’s the most common. But asparagus also comes in white and purple varieties, which you can find at farmer’s markets during the season and also specialty gourmet shops. When shopping for any kind of asparagus, though, look for bright color, compact tips and thick, upright stems. And when it comes to storing it, it’s best to eat it right away, but asparagus can be kept in the refrigerator for up to three days; just place the stalks upright in a glass of water (like you would flowers in a vase) and cover them loosely with plastic wrap.

When you’re ready to eat your asparagus, you’ll be happy to know that prep is quick. If you want to discard tough stems, just grab the middle of the spear and snap off the end; you’ll be left with just the tender stalk and tip. And if you’re cooking with white asparagus, the outer layer should always be peeled.

Here is one of my favorite ways to use asparagus — in an elegant soup. Because of the way some of the ingredients are stacked for presentation, this soup is a genuine showstopper. And won’t everyone think you’re a truly creative cook! But please Facebook share your favorite ways to prepare this delicious vegetable, asparagus.

Chilled Asparagus Soup with Caviar, Crab and Avocado

3 tablespoons butter

2 small leeks (white and pale green parts only), halved lengthwise, thickly sliced (about 3 cups)

1 1/2 pounds asparagus, ends trimmed, spears coarsely chopped

4 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth

3 cups chopped spinach leaves (about 3 1/2 ounces)

6 tablespoons flaked fresh crabmeat

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon minced shallot

3/4 cup diced peeled pitted avocado

6 teaspoons good-quality black caviar (such as osetra)

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add asparagus and stock; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until asparagus is tender, about 8 minutes. Add spinach, cover and simmer until wilted, about 4 minutes. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Transfer soup to large bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper. Cool, then cover and chill until cold, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day. Mix crabmeat, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and shallot in small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix avocado and remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice in another small bowl; mash coarsely. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place tomato can or biscuit cutter in center of 1 soup bowl. Spoon in 1 tablespoon avocado mixture; smooth top. Spoon in 1 tablespoon crab mixture; press lightly to compact. Spoon in 1 tablespoon avocado mixture. Top with 1 teaspoon caviar. Carefully lift off can. Repeat in remaining soup bowls with remaining timbale ingredients. Ladle soup around each timbale. Serve immediately.

F&M

A graduate of Johnson & Wales, Judi has managed restaurants and owned restaurants in the northeast and was the founder of a successful dessert company. Today, she is a sought-after restaurant consultant, TV cook on the ABC affiliate in her home town, and culinary editor of a city magazine. Her personal passions are culinary travel to exotic places and holiday cooking in her home for huge gatherings of friends and relatives. Her guilty pleasure? Bruce Springsteen concerts. “I follow him around the country and have for years,” she admits. “But, in every city where Bruce sings, I do check out new restaurants and talk to up and coming chefs. I want all the food news I can get.”