byA. LaBan
Asparagus is one of the most nutritional vegetables around, and, possibly due to its ability to sprout up to ten inches in a twenty-four-hour period, has long been considered an aphrodisiac. As spring nights and days become warmer, asparagus fields may require harvesting up to twice a day.
It is said that spears continue to grow even after they are picked, so many farmers pack them in crates large enough to accommodate an increase in size during shipping. Asparagus spears don't grow so much as swell as they absorb moisture from the air. So, if you get to the market early and the asparagus you buy is very fresh, you stand a good chance of watching your own spears lengthen in your own kitchen.
Asparagus is a member of the lily family, and comes in three varieties: green, white and violet. Contrary to popular belief, thin asparagus spears - the males of the species - aren't more tender than plump females. Tenderness is related to color, with the whiter being the more tender. White asparagus, particularly favored by Europeans, is grown beneath mounds of earth that are watched closely for the first hint of cracking - the sign that the stalks are about to push through the dirt. At this critical point, harvesters rush to the asparagus fields before dawn to snip the subterranean stalks. Once the sun touches the tender tips, they turn light purple and are considered a step down in quality.
Executive chef Patrick Robertson of onesixtyblue is a big fan of white asparagus. "I find it to be a very interesting seasonal ingredient to use during the brief time it is available. While it has a slight bitterness not found in green asparagus, it's more delicate, which is a delightful way to introduce the fresh, tender flavors of spring. At onesixtyblue this spring, we'll be serving white asparagus in a dish with lobster, grapefruit and a golden raisin-osetra caviar emulsion."
While Europeans and Chef Patrick favor the white, many Americans are partial towards the bigger, bolder green variations - so much so that there's a brisk business in hybrid asparagus development. Most hybrids are males, which channel all the energy females would use in seed production into the asparagus' crowns and roots. According to Iowa State's Department of Horticulture, this refined use of energy makes for a "larger, more vigorous plant." The first male hybrid was the "Jersey Giant," known for its large spears. Another variety, the "Jersey Knight," has become extremely popular and produces a large green spear with "purple bracts."
Asparagus was first cultivated in the eastern Mediterranean more than 2,500 years ago and appears in ancient Egyptian writings. The word "asparagus" is Greek for "stalk" or "shoot," and the Greeks believed asparagus was an herbal medicine, which, among other things, would cure toothaches and prevent bee stings. Second century physician, Galen, described asparagus as "cleansing, dessicative, and healing."
The Romans became great lovers of asparagus and, in their conquests, spread the vegetables to the Gauls, Germans and Britains. French King Louis XIV built special greenhouses so he could enjoy asparagus year-round, and the vegetable became known as "food of the kings."
Nearly forty years ago, legendary forager Euell Gibbons published "Stalking the Wild Asparagus," and awakened a rabid interest in the green spears. Today, asparagus has become a poster child for spring, and nearly 80,000 people attend the annual Asparagus Festival in Stockton, California.
If you can't make it out to the West Coast to show your "spear-it," you'll find asparagus gracing menus and adorning plates all over Chicago. At vegetarian eatery Blind Faith Café, asparagus is served as an appetizer and marinated lightly in dijon mustard sauce, which is made of balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard and garlic. The spears are grilled until cooked through and just a little crisp, then served with a dijon mayonnaise.
Meanwhile, Stuart Cameron at Trocadero wraps asparagus spears in pancetta for an appetizer and also serves asparagus risotto with pan roasted salmon and crab salad. He says his secret to the risotto is "chlorophyll in the butter," made from blanching spinach and asparagus peelings. "It's a long process, but when you're done extracting the chlorophyll, you add the green pigment to the butter. When you add the green butter to the risotto, it colors the whole thing a beautiful spring green."
Blind Faith Café, 23300 North Lincoln, (773)871-3820
onesixtyblue, 160 North Loomis, (312)850-0303
Trocadero, 1750 North Clark, (312)932-1750
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