What vegetable heralds Spring more than the asparagus? This symbol of rebirth and renewal is the perfect accompaniment to holiday meats such as ham and lamb. In my great grandparents' Swabian and Bavarian hometowns of southwestern Germany asparagus, known as sparkel , has its' own festivals. My cousins go mad for the white variety sold at roadside stands. This love carried over to my grandfather, my mother's father who made it a staple of his springtime dinners(my granddad was a killer cook by the way). His wife, my Piedmontese grandmother, put her own spin on it and produced a buttery , easy to make asparagus dish.
If you don't love asparagus, you should. Why? it's a good source of potassium and fiber along with being low in calories and rich in rutin. Rutin is a much needed bioflavenoid needed by our bodies to strengthen capillary walls. Hey, the real reason why you should love asparagus? The fresh Spring-y taste! Nothing can beat it!
PS - If there's no Asparagus Festival by you - then gather up your fellow spear shakers and throw one!
Here is my Nonna's asparagus recipe:
1 bundle of asparagus
1 hard boiled egg
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 1/4 cup melted butter or margarine
Cut ends off asparagus bottoms. Plunge spears into salted boiling water and cook for ten minutes until all spears are tender. Place in a large dish , with spears all facing one direction. Cover asparagus with a sliced hard boiled egg and grated Parmesan cheese. Pour melted butter over this and serve. You can place the dish under a broiler for about two to three minute to melt cheese if desired. Serves four.
Don't worry about leftovers. There won't be any. Believe me.
My thanks to the Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board for the nutritional information
FOODIE PANTRY WILL BE THROWING ITS' VERY FIRST EVER CONTEST SOON! STAY TUNED FOR MORE DETAILS!!!!
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