Asparagus is a spring vegetable native to Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia. While asparagus is best harvested when the spears are about 6 inches, these plants can actually grow up to nearly 60 inches tall! (Read more about asparagus on Wikipedia.)
Preparation
Rinse asparagus spears under cold water. Snap the the woody portion of the ends off at their natural breaking point.
Asparagus can be grilled, sauteed, steamed, microwaved, boiled, or blanched.
Storage Tips
Trim the ends of fresh asparagus and stand them upright in a jar with about an inch of water in the bottom. Cover the asparagus and jar with a plastic bag and refrigerate.
Nutrition
Asparagus is truly a nutritional powerhouse: one cup cooked will give you 29% of the Daily Value (DV) of vitamin A, 61% of the DV for folate, 73% of the DV for vitamin C, and a whopping 180% of the DV for vitamin K! Vitamin K plays an essential role in blood clotting and also helps to build healthy bones. (See more asparagus nutrition facts at Self.com.)
Seasonality
May, Jun,
Recipes
Asparagus and Avocado Wraps
Asparagus and Egg With Bacon-Hazelnut Vinaigrette
Asparagus and Red Quinoa Salad
Asparagus, Mustard Greens, and Kale Stir-Fry
Asparagus Pancetta Hash
Asparagus Pesto
Asparagus with Citrus and Oregano
Asparagus with Prosciutto and Pine Nuts
Baked Asparagus with Balsamic Butter Sauce
Flank Steak Stir-Fry with Asparagus and Bell Peppers
Grilled Asparagus Panzanella
How to Blanch Asparagus
Kale Asparagus Quiche
Kitchen Scrap Vegetable Broth
Lemon and Chives Spaghetti w/ Veggies
Lemon Pepper Pasta and Asparagus
Pesto Penne Primavera
Pickled Asparagus
Quinoa Avocado Salad
Ribbony Asparagus Salad with Lemon and Parmesan
Roasted Asparagus
Roasted Asparagus and Baby Artichokes with Lemon-Oregano Aioli
Roasted Radishes and Asparagus
Warm Asparagus Salad
Warm Dijon Roasted Asparagus & Potato Salad