Animal Writings

Note: In the veg-by-veg section of this series, I'll interject tips and comments "inline" as they seem relevant, probably more towards the beginning than the end, since we'll repeat techniques over and over. But favorite ways to do things are highly subjective, so I greatly welcome and appreciate any suggestions and alternative viewpoints from all you experienced cooks out there—as long as they're suitable for beginners and can be performed in any modest kitchen.

Also, note that I'll sometimes go into minute detail, especially at the beginning. So don't balk if you see ten or twenty paragraphs on how to cook a vegetable. I'm merely elaborating on techniques that might be unfamiliar to non-cooks, while describing a process that is simple, even relaxing, and takes only a few minutes. As we make our way through the alphabet, the instructions for cooking vegetables will generally become more concise. Although I'm verbose so I can't promise anything.

Asparagus
Asparagus is a wonderful vegetable. Familiar and widely known, yet just enough out of the ordinary for people to go "Oh, asparagus!" when they recognize it in a dish. It's mild and flavorful, with a touch of bitterness to make things interesting.

Except for the shorter shelf life, fresh asparagus may actually be easier to use than frozen asparagus. You don't have to do any chopping to cook it.


Preparation
Asparagus stalks have tender tips and middles and tough bases. You want to discard the bases. You do that by breaking each stalk with your bare hands. Hold the base in one hand and put the other hand around the middle of the stalk, then snap the stalk like a twig. It will always split in the right place.



Stylishly cut asparagus
Once the bottoms of the stalks are broken off, you can use the asparagus as is, or you can cut it into smaller, bite-size pieces. If you do the latter, it's cooler to make the cuts on a slant, as shown in the picture.

The most common color for asparagus is green, but you can get exotic with white or purple varieties.


Microwaving
The method of cooking asparagus that works best for me is microwaving it. Lay the asparagus in a microwave-safe dish. I usually use a glass meatloaf pan or round glass dish that's wide enough for the asparagus stalks. Put about a tablespoon of water in the dish. Cover the dish tightly.

Microwave for a couple of minutes. Then, using tongs, rearrange the asparagus so that the bottom stalks go to the the top and vice versa. Re-cover and cook for about another 2-3 minutes, depending on your microwave. It's perfectly acceptable to cook for 30 to 60 second increments, and check the asparagus for doneness after each interval.

You want the asparagus to be soft enough so that a fork easily penetrates it, but you don't want it to be droopy. It should be semi-pliable. Try a piece to be sure.

For seasonings, all you need are lemon juice and pepper—freshly ground out of a pepper grinder if you have it. Optionally, you can add a small pinch of salt. Some people add a small amount of margarine, maybe a teaspoon. I've never measured, but I'd guesstimate that I drizzle about a tablespoon of lemon juice onto the asparagus.

You're going to have a brighter, richer flavor if you use fresh lemon juice, but bottled lemon juice is okay. If you use fresh lemon juice, here's how I do it:


Sidebar: Squeezing Juice From a Lemon
• Roll the lemon around on a cutting board a bit, pressing down with the palm of your hand, to soften it.


• Cut off about the last inch of the "top" end, where the lemon sort of comes to a point. Squeeze that over the vegetables.


• Optionally, make a two cuts in the lemon as though you were going to slice it vertically into four pieces. Make each cut about half the length of the lemon. I find this helps squeeze out the juices, but others prefer to skip this step.


• When squeezing the lemon, check for pits that are about to fall out, and try to remove them with a spoon or fork before they drop into the vegetables. You can buy these little wire mesh things that fit over the lemon and catch pits. They're very handy if you use fresh lemon juice a lot—which you might end up doing.


• You may find that you get more juice, and that it's easier to remove pits, if you cut off sections of the lemon and squeeze them one at a time, rather than squeezing the whole lemon.

If you have leftover lemon, or leftover juice in the lemon, store the lemon in a container in the refrigerator and try to use it up in the next 3 days. You can add a dash of lemon juice to almost any salad or cooked vegetable. If nothing else, squirt a little on your kitchen sink; it'll give it a nice aroma.


Zen
I know this sounds touchy-feely, but I'm serious: You may enjoy the tactile experience of food-preparation activities such as squeezing the juice from a fresh lemon onto just-prepared vegetables. I think the hands-on aspect enhances the satisfaction of the meal. But it can't be denied that a few squirts of lemon juice out of a bottle is ultra-quick and handy, and the way to go if you're pressed for time. Either way, lemons are invaluable in cooking and one of the greatest bargains in the world. Plus, you won't get scurvy.


Serving
Back to asparagus. Use tongs to serve the asparagus (or eat it right out of the cooking dish). You're going to really like what you just cooked. If you're eating with others, prepare for compliments.

Note: The asparagus may get limp if it sits in the tightly-covered cooking container for more than a minute or so. If you're not ready to serve the asparagus right away, take the cover partially off. Another technique is to cook the asparagus till it's almost done, wait until other parts of dinner catch up, and at the last minute, do the final nuking of the asparagus, then add the seasonings.


Alternative Seasoning Choice
Before cooking, drizzle a tablespoon or two of your favorite balsamic vinaigrette or Italian dressing on the asparagus. Mix it up a little, by shaking the glass, rearranging the asparagus stalks, and/or using a cooking brush to make sure that every stalk is coated with the dressing. Let the asparagus soak in the dressing for up to 20 minutes. Then microwave as before, except you don't need to add any water. You can skip the lemon juice and pepper—or you can add a little, but maybe only a third of the amount you added when not using the dressing.


Stir-Frying
Stir-frying brings out some darker, bolder flavors in asparagus. The following is based on tips from the "Grilling Vegetables" section of Veganomicon, a masterpiece of vegan recipes and cooking wisdom.

After splitting the asparagus stalks, and maybe cutting them into 2-inch lengths, put them in a plastic bag. Add "enough oil to coat" (I used olive oil) and some minced garlic. I minced two large cloves of garlic. Close the bag and shake the contents until all the asparagus is well-coated. Let it sit for 10 minutes or more.

Heat a wide skillet over medium heat for about minute or so. Dump in the contents of the bag. Sprinkle a little salt on top. I tend to deliberately under-salt; I used three quick shakes. Stir frequently, for about 6-7 minutes, until the asparagus is done: tender but not droopy. Test a piece or three as you go along to make sure.

It's best to serve this immediately. If you have to wait, try to turn off the heat when the asparagus is near-done, and finish it up right before serving. Or nuke it (in a separate container, of course) or fire up the stove just long enough to re-heat the dish.

Stir-frying produces very pleasing flavors and textures. The oil mixture blended with the vegetables adds richness, and the frying action gives you a subtle crispiness on the outside and the right amount of contrasting chewiness on the inside. Enjoy!

Sidebar: With the garlic, you can cheat—as I sometimes do—by using already minced garlic that comes in a jar; you typically find this near the produce section, but it could be anywhere in the store. You'll definitely get more flavor with actual garlic, but I certainly understand the appeal of dipping the spoon in the jar and being done with it.

To paraphrase Frank Sinatra, here's my way of mincing garlic:


Sidebar: Mincing Garlic
• Manually pull out one or more cloves from the bulb.


• Cut off the ends. The skin should peel away fairly easily now.


• Slice the clove horizontally into thin slices


• Cut each slice in half. And/or gather up the slices and randomly slice them some more—repeat until the pieces of garlic are small enough to your liking. They don't have to uniform and they don't have to be tiny. And/or do that maneuver you see in cooking shows: Gather up the slices, put your palm of the hand that's not around the knife handle over the knife blade, and chop-chop-chop, moving the knife handle a little to the side after each chop, suggesting an arc with the center or pivot point being the end of the blade. I hope I explained that ok.


• To guard against your fingers smelling like garlic the rest of the day, wash them off and squirt a little lemon juice on them.


Roasting
The authors of Veganomicon describe it best. I'll let them take over:

Oven temperature: 400° F

Prep: Remove the tough stem bottoms. Drizzle and coat the asparagus with oil. salt, and fresh black pepper. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. If you like, add minced garlic 5 minutes before the asparagus is done, and mix it in with tongs.

Roast: 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the asparagus. The tips should be a bit crispy and the stems should be lightly browned and crinkly.

Compliments: Tarragon, thyme, crushed fennel seeds, rosemary, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, or fresh lemon juice.

Fancy it up: Because we worry that you might not be eating enough capers, why not try tossing in a few tablespoons of capers along with the asparagus in the roasting pan?

Sidebar: In cooking as in life, a few capers go a long way. You may want to experiment with less than a handful at first. They do lend a fun pickly flavor to dishes. Try adding a small bunch to pasta sauce or on top of pizza.

Prime asparagus season is coming up: It's February through June. Now you're all set to celebrate!

Next: Another vegetable

Labels: asparagus, cooking, vegetables