Respecting asparagus

Press, 2 November 1983, Page 10

Respecting asparagus

Asparagus is one of our most exciting spring vegetables. Because of its wide availability and reasonable price, New Zealanders, especially in the north,-tend to forget it is a luxury vegetable in many parts of the world.

Last year, at this time, I was working in Hawke’s Bay with an American film crew. After the first day’s work we found a restaurant which could seat us all, and settled down to read the menu. Several visitors expressed disappointment when they found no asparagus dishes listed. When the main courses were served, two waitresses arrived with the vegetables. “What would you like, cauliflower or asparagus?” asked the first girl. The .visitors nearly fell off their chairs. Imagine, asparagus mentioned in the same breath as cauliflower. They could not believe their ears. I like to serve asparagus as a vegetable too, especially. with new potatoes and lamb chops. I slice the asparagus as I slice beans, cutting the very tender tips

Alison Hoist’s

Food Facts

into longer lengths, and making the slices thinner as I cut further down the stems. This ensures even cooking. I put the lower stem slices into the pan first, with a little butter and water. I cover the pan tightly and cook it on a high heat for three minutes, and then add the slices from closer to the tips. I cook it three minutes longer, shaking the pan or stirring occasionally. I try to finish up with tender-crisp asparagus pieces, coated with a thin film of butter, and almost no liquid. The cooking time will

increase as the quantity of asparagus increases. Take care not to overcook it though. 1 make asparagus-one-dish-dinner for an easy week-end meal which can be prepared ahead. For 4 servings you will need: SOOg cooked potatoes 4 hardboiled eggs 500 g asparagus 50g butter cup flour 1% cups grated cheese salt and pepper 2 cups liquid % cup crushed potato crisps Put the potatoes and eggs on to cook. I wash the eggs

and cook them in the same pot as the potatoes, together with the bottoms trimmed from the asparagus stalks. These flavour the potatoes during the cooking. Cut the asparagus into 2cm lengths and cook until barely tender in a cup of lightly salted water. Drain, reserving the liquid. Next, make a sauce. Melt the butter, stir in the flour, and make the asparagus liquid up to 2 cups with milk. Add this liquid, half a cup at a time, to the, butter-flour mixture, stirring and boiling between additions. Stir in the grated cheese after the last addition. Slice the cooked potatoes into a buttered (or sprayed) ovenware dish (I use a 23cm square dish). Cover with half the asparagus and half of the sauce. Slice the hardboiled eggs over this, add the remaining asparagus and cover with the rest of the sauce. Top with the crushed potato crisps. Refrigerate until required, then reheat at 180 C for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.