White Asparagus

I have received in excess of 160 now 2,300 "hits" on roasted white asparagus and it's preparation. That leads me to believe further investigate the subject is warrented and to render an analysis and consensus on the subject.
White asparagus is grown "white" by excluding light from the stalks as they grow. Dirt is mounded around the emerging stalk, preventing the plant from producing chlorophyll; thus there is no green color to the stalks. To my intuition, this process simply extends that "white stump" at he base of green asparagus that is snapped off as the tough part of the stalk. Following that line of reasoning, the only tender part would be the tip. Even peeling the white stalks, they continue to be tougher then green.

It has been said in the literature that: "White asparagus is considered to be slightly milder in flavor and a bit more tender than green asparagus." which I emphatically reject. Perhaps the writer has an "inn" with growers in Germany, where the best are grown and the main source of the larger stalks that do tend to be more tender.

Asparagus in General is a member of the lily family, also includes onions, leeks and garlic.

Skip the white and go for the green or better yet try the Purple.

Purple Asparagus

Purple asparagus (also known as Burgundy asparagus) has a mild, nutty flavor and is sweeter than green asparagus because it has about 20% more sugar. It is grown just as green asparagus but is so tender, it can be served raw. It does however turn green when cooked.

Preparation:

Use a potato or vegetable peeler to peel the skin from the stalk. Then cut off ½ to 1" from the base. Rinse thoroughly to dislodge any sand or grit.

From here, either roast, boil, stir-fry, steam or grill the stalks. BUT The best recommendation for white spears is to boil them. Asparagus have a short cooking time of a few minutes.

Choosing Asparagus:

A common misconception is that thin spears are young shoots and therefore more tender. The fact is the thicker the spears, the more tender they will be, especially with white spears. Stay away from he bundles of "grass" as they are the first picking and tend to be stringy.

Asparagus can best be kept in the refrigerator and consumed within a few days. Place about a ½ cup of water in a plastic bag, stand the spears in it, seal the bag and put it in the refrigerator door in an upright position.

Traditional Chicken Picatta

I have a break before I start Chemo, so I thought I'd follow through on my former promise of a Picatta recipe. The concept of Picatta is: meat, thinly sliced, sautéed, and served in a sauce containing lemon, butter, and spices, usually parsley -- but Never add white wine as it will destroy the delicate sauce.

INGREDIENTS:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (3/4 pound total)
1/2 cup flour
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 Tbsp butter unsalted (divided)
1/4 cup chicken broth (low sodium)
1-1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp brined capers
2 Tbsp fresh parsley


PREPARATION:
Wash the breasts removing any fat and sinews; also remove the thin membrane covering the breasts.. Cut the chicken breast halves horizontally, butterflying them open. If the breast pieces you are working with are large, you may want to cut them each into two pieces. If the pieces are still thick after butterflying, put them between two pieces of plastic wrap and gently pound them with a meat hammer to barely 1/4-inch thickness.

Mix together the flour, and pepper. Rinse the chicken pieces in water. Dredge them thoroughly in the flour mixture, until well coated.

Wash the parsley, shaking off the water; cut the leaves from the stem and chop. Drain and rinse the capers. Juice the lemon.

COOKING: Sauté

Set a heavy bottomed sauté pan over high heat heat and heat 'till the rim is warm to the touch. Add the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter and Heat. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the chicken pieces, do not crowd the pan, cook for 2-3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the burner and transfer the chicken to a plate. Cover with aluminum foil tent to keep warm while you prepare the sauce.

Add the chicken stock , lemon juice, ½ the parsley and capers to the pan. Return to the burner and bring to boil, use a spatula to scrape up the browned bits. Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter. Reduce the sauce by half, then whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, turn heat to high and quickly reduce pan sauce to a semi heavy consistency. Plate the chicken and spoon the sauce over the breasts. Sprinkle with parsley.

Roasted Asparagus

We started roasting with White Asparagus and found it to be disappointing. Louisa came up with this recipe with which we were quite pleased.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound asparagus
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves
½ tsp fresh lemon zest
¼ tsp Red pepper
Lemon Peel strips for garnish

PREPARATION:

Wash the asparagus then trim about ½'' from the ends and peel them with a sharp vegetable peeler, starting just below the "Bud" area down the full length of the spears. Wash the lemon, using a "Strip Peeler", peel three or four 6" to 8" strips from it. Tie a knot in the middle and put them in ice water to firm up. Then zest the ½ tsp. of zest.

Peel the garlic and press it through a press into a large zipper bag. Add the oil, Red pepper and lemon zest, mix by massaging the bag. Add the asparagus and carefully massage to distribute the oil mixture over the spears. Let them rest for a 2 hour or so.

Preheat oven to 425°.

Then arrange the spears on an oven proof dish or baking sheet in a single layer.

ROASTING:

Roast just until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Check with a paring knife, you should feel some resistance while piercing them.

Serve them up with the lemon curls as garnish.

Blackened Grilled Pork Chops

Grilling Pork Chops has long been a quest for me. We buy only untreated pork (None of the additives called tenderizers - all natural) so the pork must be done properly and steps taken to keep it juicy and tender. Both my wife and I were pleased with the results. My preparation is not from any published recipe, but rather an amalgamation of tastes and spices. The flavor is not of your typical pork, so expect unusual.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Pork Chops about 3/4 " thick
2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh Thyme or (2 tsp dry)
1 small shallot
1 Tbsp of Honey
Pepper to taste
Sprig of thyme or sage for garnish

PREPARATION:

Peel the shallot and mince. Wash the thyme shaking off excess water, strip the leaves and chop finely.

Add the vinegar, thyme, shallot, honey and pepper to a small bowl and mix well. Add the in the olive oil and blend in with a whisk.

Wash the chops, de-bone and remove excess fat, leaving a small cap. Grind a little black pepper onto both sides of the chops. Put the pork chops in a resalable bag and add the marinade. Massage the bag to cover the chops. Let them marinate at least 4 hour, longer if you can.

Fill your chimney starter about ¼ full and set it ablaze. (3 ½ to 4 scoops)

Just before the charcoal is ready, remove the chops from the marinade and pour it into a metal handled sauce pan and bring to a slow boil over medium heat. (Can be put on the grill to heat)*

GRILLING:

When the coals are ready, dump them into the grill and let the grids heat for a few minutes. Oil the grids with olive oil to reduce sticking.

Grill the pork chops close to the coals (Don't disturber them), tuning after 6 min. and continue to grill until the internal temperature is 155 to 160 deg. Depending on the thickness this will take about 12-15 minutes total. DO NOT OVERCOOK as they will get tough! We are looking for a slight blush of pink in the center. The sauce may also be used to baste the chops while grilling.

Serve the simmering marinade as a "dipping" sauce along with the chops. Garnish with a sprig of Thyme or Sage.

*Sauce must reach 145 to 150 deg. to kill any bacteria from the meat. Reaching a boil insures that.

Oven Roasted Broccoli

Broccoli you either love it or hate it. After a while, steamed just doesn't have enough flavor, so here's a way to "spice" it up with hot red peppers and then oven roasting it. Always peel the stalks as the outer layer is tough and stringy.

INGREDIENTS:

¾-1 pounds broccoli crowns

3+ Tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves

½ tsp lemon zest

½ tsp dried red pepper flakes

PREPARATION:

Wash the broccoli and cut it into florets, using a vegetable peeler, peel the lower portion of the stalks. Dry thoroughly. Zest the lemon. Red pepper flakes if you can't buy them, follow the link.

Peel and press the garlic through a press into a large zipper bag, add the oil, Red pepper flakes and lemon zest, mix by massaging the bag. Then add the broccoli, tossing to distribute the oil through the florets. Set aside and let is rest for an hour. Pour into a baking dish and grind some fresh black pepper on it.

Preheat oven to 425 deg

COOKING:

Place the dish in a preheated oven and roast 10-15 min. Check for browning, continue roasting until broccoli just starts to brown. Garnish with red peppers and Serve.

Juicy Roast Pork with Vegetables

For this recipe, we used a pork tenderloin, but caution you to use only all natural pork. Avoid the "Tenderized" verity as the "stuff" that's added changes the flavor and just plain isn't good for you. Also my preference is for fresh carrots as the sanded "baby" ones tend to be tough, flavorless and woody.

I think you will find this a very tender, juicy way to roast pork.
 
INGREDIENTS:

1 to 1-1/4 lb Pork roast Loin or tenderloin
1 med. shallot
1/2 lb fresh carrots (not baby!)
10 baby red potatoes (B size)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1/8 tsp pepper
1 bay leaf
7 ounces chicken broth (low sodium)
1 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp cornstarch

PREPARATION:

Peel and thinly slice the shallot. Wash and halve the baby potatoes. Peel and wash the carrots, then cut into 1-1/2" lengths on the diagonal. Wash the pork roast removing most of the fat.

Make several crosswise cuts about 1" deep across the roast . Insert slices of shallot into each cut, save the leftover shallots. Combine all the spices except the bay leaf in a small bowl mixing well. Mix the water and cornstarch blending until smooth

Place roast in ovenproof Dutch oven pouring the broth around it. Spread spices evenly over the roast. Place remaining shallots, carrots, potatoes and bay leaf around roast.

COOKING:

Cover bake at 325°F for 2 1/4 hours. Remove the roast to a cutting board, cover with a foil tent, while making the gravy. Remove the vegetables to a bowl with a slotted spoon.

Gravy: Bring pan juices to boil; boil 10-12 minutes or till reduced to half.

Discard bay leaf. Add the cornstarch mix to the pan. Continue cooking and stirring until the gravy thickens.

Slice the roast into 3/4" slices and arrange on a serving platter, surround with the vegetables. Pour the gravy over and garnish with parsley sprigs.

Adapted from a recipe by ShaGun on April 05, 2005