Sprigs Have Sprung

Tulips, crocus and budding trees may be common signals of spring, but I celebrate the season with fresh asparagus.

Perfectly steamed asparagus spears were allowable finger foods in the table etiquette of my youth. Each April, as shipments from the Southwest arrived in the markets, Mom would purchase the tender pencil-thin stalks and lightly cook them. We had them with all manner of toppings: hollandaise, lemon butter or just lemon juice.

The first time I visited a friend’s Missouri hobby farm and picked my own asparagus was a memorable experience. The tall stalks growing out of spring-bare ground looked rather like alien plants without foliage around them. We wandered the garden, admiring the new seedlings, snapping off asparagus stalks to eat out of hand.

The best asparagus spears are straight, with uniform green color and compact tips. No thicker than a fat pencil, they are crisp enough to snap when bent. Avoid any asparagus with more than an inch of white woody stalk at the base (the portion you trim off at home). Some cooks peel the stalk with a vegetable peeler after snapping off the woody end. I try to buy the thinnest asparagus and avoid peeling if possible.

Cooking methods vary. The easiest is to steam asparagus in the microwave. Use a covered dish and a small amount of water. Cook on high (100%) power for 5 to 8 minutes or until the asparagus is bright green, tender and limp, but not mushy. Adjust your cooking time to the size of the stalks. A covered stove-top skillet works as well, or you can oven-roast the asparagus for the sweetest flavor.

OVEN-ROASTED ASPARAGUS

2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 tablespoons water

Place asparagus on large nonstick baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and water and toss gently to coat. Bake at 450 degrees until lightly browned and tender, 12 minutes. Stir asparagus halfway through roasting process to coat again with liquid.

4 servings. Each serving:

47 calories; 3 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 2 grams fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 1.41 grams fiber.

BABY CORN AND ASPARAGUS SOUP

This recipe is adapted from “Prevention’s Quick and Healthy Low-Fat Cooking” (Rodale Press, 1993). I serve this spring soup as a prelude to fancy dinner parties. The key to its flavor is starting with a rich-tasting broth.

1 quart defatted chicken broth

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

1/4 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

4 ounces canned baby corn, drained

2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives

Combine broth, vinegar and honey in medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium. Add asparagus and corn and simmer until asparagus is tender and bright green, about 3 minutes. Garnish with chives.

4 servings. Each serving:

68 calories; 175 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 0 fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 11 grams protein; 0.50 gram fiber.

ASPARAGUS WITH LEMON-MINT SAUCE

2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed

1 tablespoon butter or olive oil (optional)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup minced fresh mint leaves

Put asparagus in 10-inch nonstick skillet with enough water to cover bottom of skillet. Cover and steam over medium-high heat until tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain.

Heat butter, lemon juice and mint in small saucepan over low heat. When hot, pour over asparagus.

4 servings. Each serving without butter:

52 calories; 5 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 0 fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams protein; 1.88 gram fiber.

ASPARAGUS WITH SESAME-GINGER SAUCE

2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed

1 tablespoon dark sesame oil

1 teaspoon grated ginger root

1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce

Put asparagus in 10-inch nonstick skillet with enough water to cover bottom of skillet. Cover and steam over medium-high heat 5 minutes. Drain.

Add oil and ginger and cook until ginger is fragrant and asparagus is tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add soy sauce and toss gently.

4 servings. Each serving:

82 calories; 45 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams protein; 1.91 grams fiber.