Fresh from the garden, asparagus is the very essence of spring. The sweet, slender spears are incredible when lightly steamed and topped with a bit of butter and a drop of lemon juice, but we want to hear about other absolutely delicious ways to prepare this perennial — soups, sides, snacks, spreads and more! So, read some of our Facebook friends’ favorite ways to eat this versatile vegetable, and then check out this fresh asparagus recipe, which dresses asparagus with other springtime delights in a bowlful of pasta.
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John Szarowski Sometimes I just roast it in a pan…toss it with a little olive oil, maybe a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese…nom nom nom!
Jennifer Fischer Asparagus with bacon, slivered almonds, onion, and shallots.
Randy Champagne Deep-fried asparagus!
Shanna Herr On the grill!
Lisa Carlson I like it in an omelet with cheese…yum!
Clay Carmichael Asparagus seasoned in salt, pepper, and brown sugar wrapped in prosciutto and basted with balsamic vinegar.
Lisa Howard Lightly grilled! And then tossed with a bit of coconut oil, salt, and pepper.
Deanie Waggoner Chicken-Baked with Asparagus. Ingredients: Fresh asparagus, 4 chicken breasts, cut into strips, 1 can of Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, shredded cheddar cheese.
Wash asparagus. Remove tough part of the stems and cut into 1-2 inch pieces. Layer the asparagus in bottom of baking dish. Brown chicken strips. Place over asparagus. Mix soup, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Pour mixture over asparagus and chicken. Top with cheese. Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Yield: about 4 servings.
Andrea Jamie Wages Scrambled eggs and roasted asparagus. 4 eggs scrambled, bunch of asparagus cut into bite size pieces and sautéed in oil or butter until browning. Add eggs and scramble. Quick and easy, and delicious!
Natalie Marie Holmgren Lightly butter a jelly roll pan (real butter please — or if you must substitute, use olive oil) sprinkle lightly with ground garlic, sparingly with salt. Broil approximately 3-5 minutes, then turn spears and repeat until tender crisp. Then lightly sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and broil until they’re just a bit golden.
Jordan Gaultney Asparagus basil soup! Mmmm!
Sue Wilkerson Chicken, asparagus and sweet potatoes in honey balsamic glaze.
Gardening This Week In the spring, we eat asparagus for breakfast (with eggs…delicious), lunch, and dinner…wonderful goodness.
Sue Wilkerson Sauté four chicken breast filets or eight tenders in olive oil until golden. Remove to a baking dish. Sauté one bunch asparagus, cut into two-inch pieces in the same pan (do not clean) for about three minutes, drizzling with olive oil. Add asparagus to the chicken. Cube a sweet potato into bite-size cubes, microwave until semi-tender, then add to dish. On the stove, heat one half cup balsamic vinegar, one quarter cup honey, teaspoon of lemon juice, one glove minced garlic, dash of salt and pepper and one cup chicken broth. Heat to a boil then simmer until sauce thickens. Pour over the chicken, asparagus and potatoes in the baking dish and bake at 325 for 20 minutes. Serve with warm crusty bread for an excellent meal. Serves four.
Stephanie Hanlon Ingredients to asparagus and shrimp risotto: 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon chopped shallot, 1/4 pound asparagus, cooked and cut in 1-inch pieces, 1/4 cup risotto rice, 1 cup dry white wine, 1/4 cup cooked shrimp, 4 cups chicken stock, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley.
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium. Add shallots and cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add asparagus and cook another minute. Add risotto and cook 2 minutes, stirring. Add wine to saucepan; continue to cook until almost all of the liquid has been absorbed, stirring to prevent sticking. Gradually add chicken stock, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly until liquid has been absorbed. Continue adding stock and cooking down until all stock has been added. Add shrimp and stir gently for 2 minutes. Add cheese and parsley, stir, and serve.
Lady Geneene 1 pound package of pasta, cooked according to directions. One large can of diced tomatoes. 1 pound cooked shrimp. 2 packages of steam-able asparagus spears cut into 2 inch pieces. Mix everything together and heat through. Yummmmmms.
Or as an appetizer: Wrap raw asparagus pieces and raw shrimp in strips of bacon. Place on cookie sheet and bake until bacon is done. Better take a couple, because there won’t be any left for seconds!
Mary Goodson Easy peasy: Lightly sauté the asparagus in coconut oil, add Madras sauce, done! If you want a protein in there too, cook some white fish first (we like wild cod), then add the asparagus and Madras sauce.
George Chetwynde Toss with Italian salad dressing then onto the grill.
Georgia Bryan Neefe My favorite recipe with my purple asparagus is to scramble eggs (from your own chickens of course) with steamed chopped asparagus and sprinkle with feta and cracked black pepper….YUM!