Asparagus!



Asparagus

Today's vegetable is asparagus, those delicious early spring spears that remind us all that warm weather is on it's way! Asparagus can be eaten in numerous ways... raw, boiled, baked, fried, whatever fits your fancy. You can spice them you can dice them or just enjoy them plain.

Lyle Wells Farm on the North Fork will be supplying us with our delicious LOCAL ASPARAGUS this week!! 

I will post immediately when available. 

One of my favorite asparagus recipes is, asparagus salad with hard boiled eggs. It is a classic Italian salad that leaves much room for creative interpretation.

Here is the link to this recipe that I like from the NYTimes:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/05/health/nutrition/05recipehealth.html?emc=eta1

Facts About Asparagus:

• Asparagus is a member of the Lily family.
• Asparagus spears grow from a crown that is planted about a foot deep in sandy soils.
• Under ideal conditions, an asparagus spear can grow 10" in a 24-hour period.
• Each crown will send spears up for about 6-7 weeks during the spring and early summer.
• The outdoor temperature determines how much time will be between each picking...early in the season, there may be 4-5 days between pickings and as the days and nights get warmer, a particular field may have to be picked every 24 hours.
• After harvesting is done the spears grow into ferns, which produce red berries and the food and nutrients necessary for a healthy and productive crop the next season.

Asparagus is:

• Low in calories, only 20 per 5.3 oz. serving, less than 4 calories per spear.
• Contains no fat or cholesterol.
• Very low in sodium.
• A good source of potassium.
• A source of fiber (3 grams per 5.3 oz. serving).
• An excellent source of folacin. One of the best sources of folic acid!
• A significant source of thiamin. 
• A significant source of vitamin B6.
• One of the richest sources of rutin, a compound which strengthens capillary walls.
• Contains glutathione (GSH).