Recipes: Delicious ways to use that 5-pound bunch of asparagus this summer, fall, winter. Eat some fresh, make asparagus broth to use in steamed eggs and asparagus risotto. Or pickle some asparagus, and use it to make chicken piccata and asparagus salad. Or…
Pickled Asparagus
After a 4-week seasoning period, these will be good for 1 year. Recipe by Eugenia Bone. Makes 3 pints.
Ingredients
5 pounds asparagus
2 1/4 cups distilled white or white wine vinegar (5 percent acetic acid — check the label)
2 1/4 cups water
4 tablespoons salt
2 garlic cloves, slivered
1 teaspoon dill seed
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon whole allspice (optional)
1/4 teaspoon cumin seed (optional)
1/4 teaspoon coriander seed (optional)
Directions
Cut the ends of the asparagus so they fit very snugly standing upright in a pint jar. The tips must not penetrate into the rim area of the jar, so you will have to cut them quite short. I end up cutting at least 3 inches off the bottoms, which I save for another dish—to make cream of asparagus soup, for example. Jersey Giants, the purple-topped asparagus, by the way, are delicious and meaty but they will stain the vinegar solution. It’s OK.
Place about 2 inches of water in a shallow pan large enough to hold the asparagus. Bring to a boil over a medium-high heat. Lay the asparagus that fit into the quart jar in the pan, plus a few extra, and allow the water to return to a boil. Remove the asparagus and run them under very cold water or dunk them in ice water. This sets the green color. Set aside.
Combine the remaining ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil over a medium heat. Stir to dissolve the salt. Do not boil past the point where the salt has dissolved. Acetic acid evaporates faster than water and you could upset the water-to-vinegar ratio.
Have ready 3 hot sterilized pint jars and bands, and new lids. (To sterilize jars, bands and lids, boil them for 10 minutes in water.) When the jars are dry but still hot, pack the asparagus into them. You really have to wedge the asparagus in, or, once you add the vinegar solution, they will bob above the rim.
Add the vinegar solution, enough to cover the tops of the asparagus. Allow another 1/2 inch of headroom above the vinegar solution. Distribute the spices throughout the jars. Wipe the rims, place on the lids, and screw on the bands fingertip-tight.
Place the asparagus in a pot with a rack deep enough to cover the jars with 2 to 3 inches of water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to medium and gently boil the jars for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, allow the jars to rest in the water for 5 minutes or so, and then remove. Allow the jars to cool, untouched, for 4 to 6 hours. Don’t leave the jars in the water to cool, or the asparagus will overcook and become pale and withered. As is, they will yellow some. It’s OK. They will float in the vinegar, as they shrink some during processing. That’s OK too.
Allow the asparagus to season in a cool, dark place for 4 weeks. Refrigerate after opening.
Chicken Piccata With Pickled Asparagus
In the winter, when Meyer lemons are in, try them in this dish. They add a sweeter citrus flavor than standard lemons. Do not substitute limes — they aren’t as tasty here. You can use what the markets sometimes call chicken scaloppine (breasts pounded thin). You can prepare this dish in a non-stick skillet, but you won’t get those delicious browned bits. Better to use stainless steel or cast iron. Recipe by Eugenia Bone. Serves 4.
Ingredients
2 large lemons
1 1/2 pounds boned, skinned chicken cutlets, about 1/2-inch thick
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1 1/2 cups warm homemade or all-natural low-sodium chicken stock
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 pickled asparagus, cut into pieces about 1 inch long
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leafed parsley
Directions
Cut half of one lemon into thin slices, pole to pole. Juice the remaining half and the other lemon. You should have about 5 tablespoons of juice.
Season the cutlets with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow bowl and dredge the cutlets in the flour. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium-sized to large skillet over medium heat. Add half the cutlets and saute until lightly browned, about 4 minutes on each side. Remove the browned cutlets and place in an ovenproof pan and cover with foil. Keep the cutlets warm in a low oven, about 250 degrees. Add the remaining oil to the skillet and the remaining cutlets and repeat. The cutlets should be just cooked through.
Add the garlic to the empty skillet and cook until soft, about 1 minute. Add the stock and lemon slices, and bring to a light boil, scraping the sides of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits. Reduce the sauce by about half, 5 minutes or so, and then turn off the heat. Add the butter and stir to melt, and then add the asparagus. Add the cutlets to the skillet, turning them over in the sauce until they are well covered. Serve immediately.
Pickled Asparagus With Eggs
You can add a further garnish of fresh minced herbs, like parsley, cilantro or chives. Recipe by Eugenia Bone. Serves 4 as an appetizer.
Ingredients
6 hard-boiled eggs
12 pickled asparagus
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Peel the eggs and finely chop. On a serving plate, arrange the asparagus and sprinkle the egg on top. Dribble extra-virgin olive oil over it, enough to make the dish glisten, and season to taste.
Canned Asparagus Broth
You can make this broth with the whole asparagus if you like, or a combination of stems and whole. Recipe by Eugenia Bone. Makes 2 pints.
Ingredients
1 pound asparagus, chopped into 2-inch pieces
Water to cover
Directions
Bring the asparagus to a low boil over a medium heat, cover and gently boil until the asparagus are very, very tender, about 45 minutes. Allow to cool.
Pass the asparagus and the cooking water through a food mill. You will get about 1 quart of broth, half (or less) asparagus pulp and half (or more) green water. You can refrigerate the broth at this point — it will keep for 2 to 3 days.
Have ready 2 clean pint jars and bands, and 2 new lids that have been simmered in warm water to soften the rubberized flange. Pour the broth into the pint jars, leaving about 1/2-inch headroom. Wipe the rims, place on the lids and screw on the bands fingertip-tight. (Don’t crank the bands super-tight: Air needs to escape during processing.)
Place about 3 fingers’ worth of water in the bottom of your pressure canner. Place the jars on the rack. Align the cover handles so they are locked into position as per the instructions for your pressure canner. Remove the pressure regulator from the steam vent. Heat the canner over a high heat. Allow steam to be released from the vent for 7 to 10 minutes, and then put the pressure regulator over the steam vent. Watch the pressure regulator. When it is about to reach 10 pounds of pressure, lower the heat slightly so that once it reaches 10 pounds, it stays there. Check periodically to ensure the pressure stays at 10 pounds. Usually, once you’ve got the heat right, the pressure will become stable. If you are a little over, it’s OK. Just don’t go under 10 pounds. If the pressure dips under 10 pounds you can’t count those minutes against the 30 minutes you must process the asparagus. First bring the canner back up to pressure by increasing the heat, and then continue timing. Process the jars at 10 pounds of pressure for 30 minutes. For altitudes over 1,000 feet, use 15 pounds of pressure and process for the same amount of time.
Turn off the heat and allow the pressure to drop naturally. When the canner is depressurized (this will be evident as per the instructions for your specific pressure canner) remove the gauge, then the top away from you. Remove the jars and allow them to rest for at least 6 hours. The water and pulp of the asparagus broth may separate. It’s OK.
Check the seals and store in a cool dry place for up to a year. Refrigerate after opening.
Asparagus Risotto
Arborio rice will do, but Riso Carnaroli is better. The grains do not overcook as easily, and the individual grains retain their integrity. The rice has a lovely perfume that indicates its freshness: The shelf life of these grains is 18 months, and the better products are dated. Old rice will not be able to stand and retain an al dente state; it quickly becomes mushy. Recipe by Eugenia Bone. Serves 2.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup minced onion ( 1/2large onion)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cups Riso Carnaroli or Arborio rice
1/4 cup white wine
1 pint asparagus broth
10 shelled and deveined shrimp
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over a medium heat. (A wide shallow pot will cook risotto faster and more evenly than a deep small one unless you stir all the time.) Add the onion and garlic and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir until it is well coated with oil. The rice will become slightly translucent and the grains will individuate. This is good. Add the white wine (it will boil up rapidly for a moment) and cook over medium-low heat until the wine is absorbed, a few minutes.
Add 1/2 cup of asparagus broth and stir. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the rice absorbs almost all the stock. The rice may stick, so stir often, though you don’t have to stir it constantly if you keep the rice wet. Add another 1/2 cup of asparagus broth, and so on, until you have used all the broth. Test the rice for doneness by sampling a grain. It should be yielding but firm to the bite, and the texture of the overall dish should be as soft as porridge.
Stir in the shrimp, salt and pepper to taste, and the Parmesan cheese.
Serve the risotto in low bowls. You can also dribble a little extra-virgin olive oil over the dish if you like.
Steamed Eggs With Asparagus Broth
You will need baking cups with tops for this dish, or you can use ramekins with tops made of tinfoil. Recipe by Eugenia Bone. Serves 2.
Ingredients
4 eggs
1 pint asparagus broth
4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions
In a medium bowl, mix the eggs without beating in air. To do this, lift the whites with a fork over and over until the whites and yolks are well blended. Add the remaining ingredients and gently combine with the fork. The parmesan will get a bit Clumpy. It’s OK.
Strain the eggs through a strainer. If you haven’t mixed the eggs very well, sometimes some egg white may resist being strained. It’s OK — you don’t have to push it all through the sieve.
Have ready a large pot with a rack and a fitted lid (I use my pasta pot). Add enough water to just touch the bottom of the rack. Place over a high heat and bring to a boil, covered.
Pour the egg mixture into lidded cups or ramekins fitted with tinfoil tops and place on the rack in the pot. Cover and steam the eggs for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the eggs to rest for a few minutes, and then remove.
You can add a bit more cheese or some chopped parsley as a garnish if you like. Serve immediately.
