Hey folks,
Starting this week, we’ll be running a new Seasonal Fruit/Veggie of the Week edition. Every week, we’ll be choosing one local Ontario fruit or vegetable in season during that particular month. We’ll be posting information and recipes for that veggie three times per week. This week’s local veggie is asparagus! Hope you enjoy!
Asparagus, also known as Asparagus officinalis, garden asparagus or sparrow grass, is a flowering perennial plant native to the East Mediterranean (Greece, Asia Minor, the Middle East and Egypt). It was considered a particularly sacred plant in ancient Greece and was used for several medicinal purposes related to digestion including as a diuretic and for urethral pain. By the 16th century, it had become popular among the western European nobility and was grown almost exclusively for them.
Asparagus was first introduced to North America by European colonisers in the 18th century and grows best in wet or coastal regions. In Ontario, asparagus comes in season in May and June. It can easily be roasted, steamed or grilled as a part of a delicious spring meal!
The ends of asparagus are woody and need to be trimmed off before cooking. The woody ends can be snapped off using your fingers and will naturally break right where the woody end begins. To save time, you can always snap one and then use it as a guide to trim the rest of the bunch.
Simple Oven-Roasted Asparagus:
This recipe can be used as an appetizer or as a part of a main course. Goes well with chicken, steak, fish or mock meat equivalents.
Serves 2
Ingredients:
- 1lbs bunch of asparagus (20-30 spears)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt
Directions:
- Wash asparagus and trim stalks
- Coat bottom of baking pan with olive oil
- Lay spears of asparagus across baking pan
- Lightly sprinkle salt
- Put in oven at 325-350F
- Flip asparagus spears half way through cooking time
- Let roast for 30 minutes or until soft and slightly crispy
- Remove from oven and serve
Good Food Market at GBC 