COOKING ASPARAGUS

Asparagus does not usually need to be peeled unless you get a particularly stringy spear. This is despite the many recipes that call for this step.  If it’s really fresh it should be nice and tender.  To double check:  after you cut off the woody end, cut a small piece and eat it. Make your decision about peeling then.  The exception is if you are doing the shaved salad below or using fresh white asparagus which should always be peeled according to Harold McGee and others.

If the white woody base is still there when you buy asparagus then this has to be removed. Either chop it off, or snap the asparagus by holding the bottom and near the top with your hands — the idea is that it should snap right at the point where it starts getting tough.  Drawback to this is that you’ll probably waste more of the tender spear than if you just cut the tough white base off with a knife.  To be sure that you are into the tender part cut off a little of the base and eat it to test.

There are lots of ways to successfully cook asparagus.  The key no matter which method you use is to make sure that you don’t overcook.  The goal of “crisp-tender” should always be in your mind.  Time will of course depend on the thickness of the spear.

Blanching:  Drop the trimmed spears into boiling salted water and cook until just tender.  If not eating right away then plunge into cold water to stop the cooking and set the color.  Old recipes sometimes called for using baking soda in the cooking water to help preserve the color and soften the vegetable.  While the former might be nice the latter isn’t.  Most of us like our asparagus with a firm texture.  Also baking soda destroys acids like Vitamin C.

Steaming:  Takes a little longer than blanching but the rationale is that it retains more nutrients.  There are asparagus steamers on the market in which you place the asparagus vertically with a little water in the bottom.  The thicker bottoms get more heat than the tops and in theory this will evenly cook the whole spear.  I use my Chinese bamboo steamer with good results.

Grilling:  One of the simplest and best ways, to my taste, to cook asparagus is to give it a light coating of olive oil and grill it.  Grilling brings out the sweetness and I prefer it to steaming or boiling which seems to bring out more of the “vegetal” notes.  I’m convinced too that keeping the asparagus away from water seems to minimize that interesting condition called “asparagus pee”.  I won’t go any further but see if it works for you!

Roasting:  Similar to grilling except in the oven.  Place the oiled and seasoned spears in a loose single layer on a baking sheet and either cook in a hot oven (450 degrees or more) or cook under a preheated broiler until just begin to brown.  You’ll need to turn them a couple of times.

Stir Frying:  You’ll need to cut the asparagus stalks into shorter lengths and then stir fry.   You can either blanch the asparagus before stir frying which will cut down on time or you can just do it from raw.  Up to you.

Microwaving:  A great way of cooking asparagus which both preserves color and minimizes nutrient loss.  Rinse, place in a microwave proof bowl, cover with plastic and cook till its crisp tender.
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And now some recipes to try.  Enjoy!

ASPARAGUS FRIES WITH SMOKED PAPRIKA AIOLI
Serves 6
The sweet spot for frying anything is 350 – 375 degrees.  Ideally you should have a deep fry thermometer of some kind to regulate.  If you don’t you can use a small cube of fresh bread to test or, as my grandmother did, put the handle end of a wooden spoon into the hot oil and if it bubbles nicely you are good to go.  It’s important here to peel the asparagus so that the coating will stick to it.

3 cups or so vegetable oil for frying
1 pound or so big but tender asparagus peeled spears, woody ends removed (see side bar)
3/4 cup flour seasoned generously with salt and pepper
2 large eggs beaten with 2 tablespoons water
2 medium limes
1 cup panko bread crumbs
Smoked paprika aioli (recipe follows)

Heat the oil in a small saucepan to 375 degrees.
Test the asparagus to make sure it’s not tough or stringy.  If so peel it first using a vegetable peeler.  Cut asparagus into 2-inch lengths.
Place seasoned flour on a small plate. In a small bowl combine the egg mixture with the juice of one of the limes.  Cut the other lime into 6 wedges.  Place the panko on another small plate.

Dredge the asparagus first in the flour and shake off any excess.  Then, dip into the egg mixture and finally into the panko to nicely coat.  Fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes.  Remove and drain briefly on paper towels.  Serve immediately with the lime wedges and the smoked paprika aioli.

Smoked Paprika Aioli
Makes about 3/4 cup
4 large poached garlic cloves
1 tablespoon or so olive oil
2/3 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons smoked paprika or to taste
Drops of lemon juice to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Add all ingredients to a mini food processor and pulse till smooth. Store refrigerated for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to blend before using.

ASPARAGUS, POTATO AND PECORINO GRATIN
Serves 8 – 10 as a side dish
You’ll note there is no cream or milk in this variation of scalloped potatoes.  It’s very simple to do and you could add some chopped fresh or sun dried tomatoes and other herbs if you liked.  Be sure to use a fragrant, fruity olive oil for best results.
2-1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
2 pounds young asparagus, woody ends discarded and cut into 1-inch lengths
3/4 cup fruity extra virgin olive oil
2 cups coarse bread crumbs such as panko
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2-1/2 cups finely grated Pecorino cheese (about 6 ounces)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1-1/2 cups pitted and chopped black olives such as Cerignola or Oil Cured

Bring 6 – 8 quarts of salted* water to a boil.  Slice the potatoes into 1/4-inch thick rounds add to boiling water, cook for 2 minutes and then remove with a strainer and cool on a baking sheet.  In the same boiling water, blanch asparagus for 2 minutes, drain, run under cold water to stop the cooking and set the color. Set aside.

Oil a 3 quart, 3-inch deep baking dish with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil.  In a separate bowl mix the bread crumbs with the parsley, thyme and the Pecorino.  Spread 1/3 of the potatoes in a single layer in the bottom of the baking dish, season generously with salt and pepper and top with 1/3 of the bread crumb mixture.  Spread half of the asparagus and olives over this along with a third of the remaining olive oil and top with another layer of the potatoes, duplicating the first layer.  Top with the final layer of potatoes and the bread crumbs drizzled with remaining olive oil.
Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 60 minutes or until potatoes are tender and top is golden brown.  Serve warm.
* For blanching use sea salt and add enough so that water tastes like the ocean.

Photo from Liz West

If ever there was a harbinger of spring, it’s asparagus.  As the days grow longer and the soil warms, asparagus suddenly springs into life, sending up shoots that can grow 6 to 10 inches a day.  At its peak asparagus can grow almost faster than it can be harvested. This vitality has, over the ages, put it high on the list of foods which have special powers to increase potency and sexual vigor!  Whether this is true or not, asparagus leads nearly all produce in the wide array of nutrients it supplies in significant amounts. A leading supplier of folic acid, which is essential for blood cell formation, growth, and prevention of liver disease, a 5 ounce serving provides nearly 60% of the recommended daily allowance. With less than 20 calories per 5 ounce serving, asparagus is also a good source for thiamine and vitamins C and B6.

BUYERS GUIDE
Types of Asparagus
Though there are many species of asparagus we eat just one, “asparagus officinalis”.  The basic difference in what we see in the market is color.

•    Green:  This is what most of us buy.  It comes thick or thin and now is available much of the year in supermarkets since it is grown widely around the world and shipped to us.  Nice that it’s more available but time from harvest affects both its flavor and texture.  Asparagus purists sound the same mantra as those who love corn:  For best flavor get it from the “plot to the pot” (or grill or oven) as quickly after harvest as you can.

•    Purple:  Purple asparagus originated from the region around Albenga, Italy. This “cultivar” is known as Violetto di Albenga and you’ll see it in specialty food markets primarily.  It’s almost always more expensive than green since purple hybrids produce fewer stalks per plant. Many say that purple is sweeter and more tender than green so it’s great used raw in salads.  Unfortunately its beautiful purple color fades to green when it is cooked unless just very briefly stir fried.

•    White:  The most expensive of the three because it requires much more work to produce. Earth has to be constantly heaped up over the spears as they grow, to prevent exposure to sunlight which would develop their chlorophyll and turn them green. Fresh white asparagus is hard to find in America unless you are in a large, sophisticated urban market. In Europe it’s widely available fresh during the spring and highly prized.  It’s also readily available canned there and in America as well.  Canned white asparagus is used mostly in composed salads. White asparagus has a flavor all of its own – - it tends to be milder than the other two and often will have just a touch of pleasant bitterness.

What to Look For
Whether you prefer the thick or thin spears of whatever color, be certain they are fresh. The sugar in the plant quickly converts to starch after harvesting, causing a loss in flavor and development of a woody texture.
Select firm, straight, smooth, rich green stalks with tightly-closed tips. Open tips, ridges in the stems and a dull green color are an indication of old age. The stalks should not be limp or dry at the cut. Choose stalks of uniform thickness for more control in the cooking process.

How to Store

With all types of asparagus, do not wash before storing and never soak it. Trim the ends of fresh asparagus and stand them upright in a jar with about an inch of water in the bottom. Cover with a plastic bag and store spears in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Size Really Doesn’t Tell You Much

The conventional wisdom is that the thin, pencil size asparagus are more tender than those that are fatter.  Truth is that diameter of the stalk isn’t necessarily a good guide to its tenderness.  Actually the fatter the spear usually the more tender.  Reason:  No matter what its size, each spear has a set number of tough fibers that run its length.  In a small spear they are crammed together and there is less juicy white flesh between them.  With fatter spears the fibers are further apart separated by more tender, sweet flesh.

And now for a recipe, to get you cooking with the delicious asparagus you’ve chosen!

GRILLED ASPARAGUS WITH LEMON OLIVE OIL, PECORINO AND PROSCUITTO
Serves 4
Lemon infused olive oil is available in Italian markets and good gourmet and stores.  Agrumato brand from Italy and “O” from California both make great citrus infused oils.
1 pound fresh asparagus, tough ends discarded
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt such as Maldon’s
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons or so Italian or California lemon infused extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Pecorino or Parmigiano cheese shaved thinly with a vegetable peeler
8 very thin slices prosciutto
3 tablespoons capers, drained, patted dry and fried till crisp in olive oil   Lemon wedges

Brush the asparagus with the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.  Over hot coals or a gas grill preheated to medium high grill the asparagus till it takes on a bit of color.  Roll and turn so that it’s marked on all sides but still green and crisp.  Place on a plate and drizzle with lemon olive oil. Scatter cheese over, arrange prosciutto attractively on top and sprinkle capers around. Serve lemon wedges on the side.  Add more salt and pepper if desired.

Photo from B Rosen

At sports victories we’ve all seen the winners shaking a bottle of champagne and then opening it so the cork flies off and the wine showers out of the bottle.  Fine for a sports celebration, but you definitely don’t want to do that at home.  Here are a few tips for properly and safely opening sparkling wines:

1.    Always remember that a bottle of bubbly can be dangerous.  It’s packed with six or so atmospheres of pressure (90 pounds per square inch) within each bottle.  That’s about the same as a truck tire.  Never, never point the cork toward anyone (including yourself) when you open the bottle.

2.    Be sure to chill the bottle before opening, to at least 45 degrees or lower.

3.    Make sure the bottle hasn’t been handled roughly before opening.  You don’t want to agitate the carbon dioxide gas and make it even more explosive.

4.    Hold your thumb on the cap with your left hand as you remove the wire cage.

5.    Hold the bottle at 45 degrees and then turn the base of the bottle with your right hand to loosen the cork.  The cork should be released with a hiss and not a pop.  You don’t want to lose any of those precious bubbles!!
A final note – -Pour the wine slowly into the glass so it doesn’t foam over and be sure your glasses are sparkling clean.  Glasses with any soap or other residues hinder the bubbles!

Photo from Mot the Barber

Most of us have heard about deep frying turkey, which originated in the south and is often called “Cajun Fried Turkey”.  When I finally tried it, the results were outstanding, I have to admit.  The turkey was crisp, moist, not greasy and took a whole lot less time to cook.  However I must say that having a big pot of hot bubbling fat over an open flame can be risky.  Underwriters Laboratory notes that an overheated turkey fryer can explode. And, if the oil ignites, it can become what they describe as “a vertical flame thrower”. A number of homes and other buildings (such as garages) are destroyed each year due to the unsafe use of a turkey fryer. UL has refused to list turkey fryers as safe.  They have a very graphic video on YouTube which shows the dangers.  There is another option, however I want to be completely transparent and say that I have no connection with this product or company.  The safer alternative is one made by Char-Broil and it’s  called “The Big Easy”.  It is a propane powered infrared roaster oven that gives you foods that look and taste like they were fried. Anything you can lower into the cooking chamber can be cooked quickly (turkey at about 10 minutes a pound).  It’s also great with chicken and other larger birds.

If you try The Big Easy, or if you have some tips for safely deep frying a turkey, I’d love to hear from you.  However you choose to cook your turkey this Thanksgiving, I hope you have a safe holiday!

At the retreat, my assignment was to create a couple of simple dishes that attendees could make at home and that matched to the earthiness and complexity of Kosta Browne’s amazing Pinot Noirs.  Below are the recipes.  I hope you’ll enjoy!

WILD MUSHROOM PATE

Makes enough to fill a 3-cup mold or dish

The simplicity of this recipe belies its great taste.  Serve with crisp little croutes, toasts or crackers of your choice and, as the French do, with some little cornichons and grainy mustard on the side.

1 ounce dried wild mushrooms such as porcini
5 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped shallots or green onions (white part only)
1-1/4 pounds thickly sliced fresh wild or exotic cultivated mushrooms*
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
2 teaspoons curry powder or to your taste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup toasted, preferably unsalted cashews
2 tablespoons toasted nut oil such as walnut or olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped mixed herbs such as parsley, chives and/or basil
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Rinse the dried mushrooms quickly and let soak in warm water to cover for 15 minutes.  Drain, squeeze dry and chop.

Heat the butter in a large sauté pan over moderately high heat.  Add the shallots, all mushrooms, garlic, curry and cumin and sauté and stir until mixture is just beginning to brown and all liquid has evaporated.

While mushrooms are cooking add the cashews to a food processor and process till finely chopped.  Add oil and continue to process to make a paste or butter.  Add the mushroom mixture and process till almost smooth.  Stir in the herbs and zest and season with salt and pepper to your taste and place in a 3-cup pate mold or other ceramic dish.  Can be stored covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.  Allow to return to room temperature to serve.

*A caution here – - only use wild mushrooms that you are certain are edible.  If you are not a hunter you can certainly substitute wild or cultivated mushrooms found in the market such as chanterelle, shiitake, cremini, portabella, oyster, etc.

COUS COUS RISOTTO WITH OLIVES, ARUGULA AND SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

Serves 4 – 6 as a main course

This recipe uses a kind of cous cous known as moughrabiye or Israeli cous cous.  It is made from the same toasted semolina as the regular granular Moroccan cous cous with which we are most familiar.  Israeli cous cous is larger in size and round- about the size of whole peppercorns.  There are even larger ones made known as Lebanese cous cous which can also be used in this dish.  They are about the size of petite peas and take longer to cook.  This also makes a nice side dish or base for simply cooked meats, fish and poultry.  The great thing about cous cous is that you can make a risotto in half the time of a rice-based version.  Additionally, cous cous is a little more “forgiving” in that it doesn’t completely mush out as it sits!

1/2 cup chopped shallots or green onions (white part only)
1 tablespoon slivered garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups large Israeli type cous cous
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 cups rich chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pitted olives such as Cerignola
2 cups or so baby wild arugula
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
1/4 cup chopped chives
1/2 cup (or more) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Garnish: Fried basil sprigs and drops of truffle or smoked olive oil, if desired.

Sauté the shallots and garlic in olive oil until lightly colored.  Add the cous cous and sauté for a minute or two longer.  Add the wine and 1/2 cup of the stock and stir occasionally until liquid is nearly absorbed.  Add remaining stock in half-cup increments and continue to cook and stir until stock is nearly absorbed.   Continue in this manner until the cous cous is tender but still has some texture (about 10 minutes total).  Stir the olives, arugula, tomatoes, zest, chives and cheese into the risotto. Serve immediately in warm bowls topped with the basil sprigs and the truffle oil.

•    One Big Table by Molly O’Neil.  Simon and Schuster $50.

•    Tartine Bread by Chad Robertson.  Chronicle Books $40.

•    In the Green Kitchen, Techniques to Learn by Heart by Alice Watters.  Clarkson Potter $28.

•    Sweet Magic:  Easy Recipes for Delectable Desserts by Michel Richard.  The Ecco Press $27.50.

•    The Gourmet Cookie Book,  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt $18.50.

•    Chewy, Gooey, Crispy, Crunchy, Melt-in-Your-Mouth Cookies, by Alice Medrich.  Artisan $25.95.

•    Heart of the Artichoke and Other Kitchen Journeys by David Tanis.  Artisan $35.

•    Street Food of India:  The 50 Greatest Indian Snacks – Complete with Recipes, I. B. Tauris $28.

•    The Essential New York Times Cookbook:  Classic Recipes for a New Century by Amanda Hesser,   W.W. Norton $40.

•    Around My French Table:  More than 300 Recipes from My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan.  Houghton Mifflin

Let me know what you think of these choices.  And if you have any favorites I haven’t mentioned, I’d love to hear about them!

Photo from It's Holly

A few more thoughts about collecting and cellaring wine:

• Wine is best kept in the dark.  While incandescent or fluorescent lights seems to have no effect over the short term, long term exposure to light can affect the quality of wine especially whites and sparkling wines.  In France a lot of work has been done on the effect of ultra violet rays on Champagne.  Apparently in certain circumstances ultraviolet can lead to the creation of hydrogen sulfide, which gives off an odor similar to rotten eggs or cabbage.  The condition is known as gout de lumiere.

• Let wine rest in the cellar, especially precious old wines, after they’ve been transported.  Active motion seems to “stir things up” and subtleties can be lost.  A fragile old beauty may need a rest of 2 or more weeks before it’s opened.

• Although attractive shelving can be beautiful in a cellar, I prefer to leave bottles in their case.  Cardboard cases are good insulators and bottles are protected even better when wrapped in newspaper.  Both of these help maintain constant temperature and keep out the light.

• Wine as an investment:  If you are serious enough to build a cellar then it means you have some interest in wines.  For a short time in my life I actually got infatuated with the idea of buying wine, holding it in my cellar for a few years and then selling it at a gigantic (I hoped) profit.  I came to realize that this isn’t why I bought wine.  I bought wine for the love of its flavors and more important my ability to share it with my friends and family.  To see it only for its commercial value demeaned why I came to it in the first place.

• Collecting more wine than I’ll ever consume:  I have finally resolved this.  I’ve given myself permission to collect as much as I can afford, never to hoard it and share it at every opportunity.  If there is some left over in my cellar when I pass on, then what a wonderful gift to my children and friends!

This time of year we’re often spending more time in the kitchen and as a result more questions come up.  Here is a couple I’ve received recently that I thought I’d share with you.

What to Do If You’ve Added Too Much Salt to the Soup or Stew

OK . . . here’s the scenario: The recipe called for a teaspoon of salt but you misread it and added a whole

Photo from Nate Steiner

tablespoon.  What do you do??  Don’t despair – - you don’t have to throw the whole thing out.  To rescue an over-salted soup or stew here’s what I do:  I take a raw potato, wash it then quarter it and drop it into the soup or stew.  I don’t know exactly what goes on – - ya’ know the chemistry of it?  But somehow the potato actually
tempers the salt and makes it much less apparent.  It seems to actually absorb some of the brininess.  Be sure then to discard the potato before serving.

A couple of other things that seems to help when you’ve added too much salt are adding a bit of sugar, also adding a bit of tomato paste and finally adding a bit of fresh citrus juice like orange or lemon can all help gently reduce the salt in an overly salted soup or stew.  The first choice for me however is to grab a potato!

Buying and Storing Cheese

Photo from cwbuecheler

Storing cheese seems to be a universal problem for all of us.  Here are a few pointers:

Store cheese away from the fan.  The vegetable drawer is ideal.  Don’t use the “cheese compartment” that is built into the door of many refrigerators.  The constant temperature change that comes from opening and closing the door isn’t good for cheese.

Don’t wrap young, soft cheeses like Jack or soft ripening (bloomy rind) cheeses like Brie in plastic.  Plastic literally suffocates them.  Instead use parchment, waxed or butcher paper.

Hard cheeses like Parmesan, Cheddar, Swiss, which got that way because they have less moisture, should also be wrapped in breathable materials.  If however they are as dry as you like them then plastic wrap is recommended to prevent further drying.  However, remember that plastic can change flavor, so re-wrap in fresh plastic every couple of days if you have it around that long.

Fresh cheeses like Ricotta, Crème Fraiche, fresh goat cheeses and those packed in water like Mozzarella or Feta should be packed in a sealed plastic or glass containers.

Finally, don’t freeze cheese.  The results are almost always disappointing.