I’m not proud to admit this, but I very rarely ate asparagus growing up (I had a bunch of brothers who would always point out what happens when you eat asparagus if you know what I mean, so I shied away from it). As I came into my own, and started dining out at respectable restaurants after my first real job, asparagus would appear in my entrees every now and again. I have never minded it, really, but it wasn’t something that I’d seek out when buying produce. It was a little mysterious to me.
Fast forward more than ten years later (I now love to eat anything and cook anything) and along comes a recipe from Cook’s Illustrated with a main ingredient of asparagus. In my early career as a recipe tester for them (this may seem like a great privilege and you may be wondering how I could be put in such a highly-regarded position for a reputable magazine, but sadly, most anyone can sign up on their website to become a recipe tester). Anyway, one of my first recipes to be experimented with was called “Pan-Roasted Asparagus with Mushrooms and Tarragon”.
Hmmm…should I try it or just pretend that I didn’t get this e-mail and wait until the next recipe comes along? Well, I happen to be a tarragon lover, so I had to try it. Anything could taste good with tarragon, right? For me, that happens to be true and Cook’s Illustrated didn’t disappoint me. This was the most amazing vegetable dish I had ever made. I said earlier that I was never a big consumer of asparagus, but when I made this dish, I wanted to eat the entire two pounds! Here is the recipe, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do:
Pan-Roasted Asparagus with Mushrooms and Tarragon
Serves 4
Cook’s Illustrated Note: This recipe works best with asparagus that is at least 1/2 inch think near the base. If using thinner spears, reduce the covered cooking time to 3 minutes and the uncovered cooking time to 5 minutes. Do not use pencil-thin asparagus; it cannot withstand the heat and overcooks too easily.
2T plus 1 tsp. olive oil
1 medium garlic clove minced or pressed with a garlic press (about 1 tsp.)
12 ounces white mushrooms, quartered (about 4 cups)
5 tsp. chopped tarragon
1T unsalted butter
2 lbs. thick asparagus spears (see note above), ends trimmed
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving (optional)
1. Combine 1 tsp. oil and garlic in small bowl; set aside. Heat 1T oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
2. Using spatula, push mushrooms to side of skillet to make room in center; add garlic to clearing and cook, mashing mixture with spatula, until fragrant, 10 to 15 seconds. Add tarragon and stir to combine. Transfer mushroom mixture to plate. Rinse out pan with water and dry well with paper towels.
3. Return skillet to medium-high heat and add remaining T oil and butter. When butter has melted, add half of asparagus to skillet with tips pointed in one direction; add remaining spears with tips pointed in one direction. Using tongs, distribute spears in even layer (spears will not quite fit into single layer). Cover and cook until asparagus is bright green and still crisp, about 5 minutes.
4. Uncover and increase heat to high; season asparagus with salt and pepper. Cook until spears are ender and well browned along one side, 5 to 7 minutes, using tongs to occasionally move spears from center of pan to edge of pan to ensure all are browned.
5. Remove pan from heat. Add mushroom mixture and toss to combine thoroughly. Transfer asparagus to serving dish and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with lemon wedges, if desired.
In the spirit of the asparagus season, I have decided to learn more about this fine vegetable and so I am happy to share some information with you (courtesy of Wikipedia). Asparagus is very nutritious. It is high in Vitamins A and C, plus a good source of fiber and folate. If you are growing tomatoes in your home garden, asparagus is a useful companion plant for them.
Everything you could possibly want to know about asparagus can be found on the Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board web site. And if you really want to see asparagus farming in action, there is a documentary called “Asparagus: The Movie” which won many independent film awards (note to self: add to Netflix queue).
Speaking of asparagus, I happened to be at the lovely Tinto on Monday night. If you ever make it there and you like asparagus, be sure to order the Verdosa (salad) with mixed greens, roasted tomato vinaigrette, shaved mahon, and of course – asparagus. In fact, the asparagus was what I loved the most. It was perfectly cooked, shaved slightly with fine herbs and delicate dressing.
Last, but certainly not least, at the Oakmont Farmers Market today I saw scores of beautiful asparagus – perfect for the tarragon recipe above or for any special recipe you hold dear to you. And the best part is that they were all grown locally! Get yours next week and tell me all about your experiences with asparagus. I’m all spears.
Jennifer Sanders, HTFMA