Lenore Nolan-Ryan
Lenore Nolan Ryan Catering & Cooking School
Galt Ocean Plaza
3311 North Ocean Blvd,
Ft Lauderdale, FL 33308
954.491.2340
Tips of asparagus, green, white or purple, of which purple has a sweeter flavor, bid the sun hello as they individually peek through their mineral soil. Asparagus can grow up to half an inch per hour. You’ll get B vitamins in asparagus, including thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6 and folate. Great for expecting moms!
Asparagus can be served for dinner, lunch, brunch, soup, side dish, blanched, roasted, grilled, pickled for bloody Mary garnish, wrapped in pastry, prosciutto, and sliced thin and added raw to salads. You can keep asparagus fresh by chopping off the ends and standing upright in an inch of water in a container in the fridge.
My first crop of asparagus! Those tender tips sprouted their pretty, little, sweet green heads and begged to be plunged into a bath of boiling salted water, whirled like a dervish, then submerged into ice water, kitchen towel dried, seasoned and gently laid into a pretty porcelain bowl. They were delicious! Then I made a soup.
ASPARAGUS SOUP
Melt 2 tablespoons each butter and olive oil in a pot, add 3lbs chopped asparagus, tops and stems, 1 chopped onion, 2 garlic cloves, 2 sprigs of thyme and sauté over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add ¼ cup instant potato flakes, and vegetable stock to cover. Bring to the boil and reduce heat to simmer until asparagus is tender. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Ladle 1-2 cups of soup into a blender and process each batch until you cannot see or taste any fibrous threads. Return to the pot and add a splash of heavy cream, a nugget of butter, a spritz of lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Voila, enjoy!
Join me for a hands-on cooking class. “Classes are Fun & Informative with the Emphasis on Fun!” For more information, contact: [email protected] or 954.491.2340.
