3 Savory Butters for Asparagus
Lemon Mustard Butter

6 TBS butter, softened
1 ½ TBS stone ground mustard
1 ½ TBS lemon juice
¼ tsp pepper
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Sun-Dried Tomato Butter
2 tsp olive oil
½ small red onion, finely chopped
2 tsp lemon juice
6 TBS butter, softened
3 TBS chopped drained sun-dried tomatoes in oil
1 ½ TBS chopped fresh parsley
Heat oil in small pan, cook onion stirring often, until soft and fragrant. Cool.
Combine onion with remaining ingredients in small bowl. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate

Honey Nut Butter
6 TBS butter, softened
1 ½ TBS chopped fresh cilantro
1 ½ TBS honey
3 TBS chopped nuts of choice, toasted
1 tsp curry powder
½ tsp ground cumin
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate until use.

Asparagus Salad with Lemon Herb Vinaigrette (serves 6 to 8)
2 tsp olive oil
3 ½ oz shaved smoked ham, chopped
2 lbs asparagus, trimmed
2 oz brie cheese, chopped
1 medium tomato, diced

Vinaigrette
1 ½ TBS red wine vinegar
3 TBS lemon juice
1/3 cup light olive oil
1 ½ TBS chopped fresh chives
1 ½ TBS chopped fresh parsley
Heat oil in pan, cook ham, stirring, until crisp but not burned.
Add asparagus to lightly salted boiling water, and boil for about 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain. Cool under running cold water and blot dry. Transfer to large bowl.
Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients (or place in covered jar and shake)
Pour ¾ of vinaigrette dressing over asparagus and toss to coat.
Place asparagus on individual serving plate, scatter with ham, brie, and tomato, and drizzle with remaining dressing.


Asparagus Orange Salad with Herbs (8 servings)
2/3 cup mayonnaise
½ cup buttermilk
2 TBS olive oil
2 TBS tarragon vinegar
4 TBS minced fresh basil, divided
24 asparagus spears, trimmed
8 cups torn mixed salad greens
4 medium navel oranges, peeled and divided
1 small red onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
In a medium bowl whisk together mayonnaise, buttermilk, oil, vinegar, stir in ½ of minced basil, and refrigerate.
In medium saucepan bring water to a boil, add asparagus, and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and immediately cool under cold running water. Blot dry.
Place 3 asparagus spears on each individual serving plate. Top with 1 ½ cup salad greens. Drizzle with 2 TBS prepared dressing.
Arrange oranges and onions over salad greens and sprinkle with remaining ½ of minced basil.
HINT: Oranges can be replaced by strawberries or berries of choice.


Asparagus-Tomato Duet (serves 6)
3 slices bacon
¼ cup sliced green onions
3 TBS vinegar
1 TBS water
2 tsp sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 ½ lb fresh asparagus trimmed and bias-cut in 1 ½ inch pieces. (Should be about 3 cups)
2 medium tomatoes cut in wedges
Cook bacon until crisp; drain, reserving drippings. Crumble bacon.
Add green onions to drippings in pan and cook until tender.
Add crumbled bacon, vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil and add asparagus. Cover and cook 4-5 minutes until asparagus just tender.
Add tomato sedges, cover, and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes, spooning liquid over often.
HINT: The bacon drippings really do add flavor but if that is just a little too much for you to handle, discard bacon drippings and use 2 TBS olive or vegetable oil.

Cheesy Miracle Asparagus (4 servings)
1 lb asparagus spears, trimmed
¼ cup salad dressing
4 TBS milk
¼ cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Blanch asparagus in boiling, lightly salted water until crisp tender. Drain, blot dry, and keep warm.
Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients in small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until heated through. (can also do in microwave)
Pour sauce over warm asparagus and serve.

Grilled Asparagus with Rosemary Oil (4 servings)
1 tsp dry (chop finely) or 1 TBS chopped fresh rosemary
2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
2 lbs fresh asparagus, trimmed
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
In a small bowl mix olive oil and rosemary. Cover and let stand 1 hour.
Oil the grill rack of grill. (Do not yet turn on gas grill.)
Blanch the asparagus in boiling lightly salted water for about 3 minutes until crisp-tender. Drain, rinse under cold running water, and blot dry.
Put the spears on a baking sheet, drizzle with the rosemary oil, and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
Remove spears from baking dish and grill the asparagus directly on grill rack until they blister, about 1-2 minutes on each side.
Transfer to serving platter, sprinkle with Parmesan, and serve.

Crispy Roast Asparagus
16 asparagus spears
2 TBS olive oil
1 tsp salt
2 TBS grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Trim the asparagus and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, turning once.
Remove from oven, sprinkle with Parmesan, and serve.

Asparagus in Garlic and Paprika
1 lb fresh asparagus
2 TBS olive oil
1 slice crusty baguette-style bread
1 large garlic clove, peeled
¼ tsp paprika
½ cup water
1 TBS vinegar
Salt to taste
1 TBS chopped parsley
Wash and trim asparagus.
Heat oil in a pan and fry the bread until it is golden in color. Place in food processor.
Saute garlic in the oil until it is golden and place in processor as well.
Saute asparagus in this same oil for about 3 minutes. (May need to add a little oil)
Add the paprika and stir to coat.
Pour in water, cover, and cook until asparagus is crisp-tender.
While asparagus cooks beat the garlic and bread in the food processor. Slowly add vinegar and a couple TBS of the cooking fluid from the asparagus. Pour this mixture over the asparagus and salt to taste.
Cook 5 minutes more or until the asparagus is tender. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.




Asparagus and Sugar Peas with Raspberry Dijon Dipping Sauce
1 lb fresh asparagus spears
8 oz sugar snap peas
3 TBS raspberry vinegar
1 TBS honey mustard
¼ tsp pepper
Dash of salt
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup olive oil
Fresh raspberries (optional)
Wash and trim asparagus. Boil in lightly salted water until crisp-tender, remove asparagus from water while saving the water; plunge into ice water and drain. Set aside.
In same water boil peas 2 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain, plunge in ice water, drain.
In blender combine vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper, and blend until combined. Then with blender running, slowly add oils in a thin stream and continue blending until mixture thickens.
Arrange asparagus and peas on platter, drizzle with dipping sauce. May garnish with fresh raspberries.

Summer Vegetable Stir- Fry (serves 4 )
¼ lb green beans
¼ lb snow peas
1 medium carrot
6 asparagus spears
2 medium bell peppers, julienned (red, orange, or yellow)
2 celery stalks
3 green onions
2 TBS vegetable oil
1 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
Florets from 1 broccoli head
Salt
Slice the beans, carrots, asparagus, bell peppers, celery, and green onions (carrots thinly sliced).
Heat ½ of the oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet or wok. Add the ginger and garlic, and stir-fry for a few seconds. Then add green beans and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the peas and carrots, stir-fry for 1 more minute. Add broccoli florets, asparagus, and stir-fry an additional 2 minutes.
Add the remaining oil, bell peppers, celery, and green onion and stir-fry for a further 2 to 3 minutes or until all of the veggies are crisp-tender. Season to taste with salt.
Serve over rice or pasta.




Grilled Asparagus and Peppers
1 lb asparagus trimmed
1 large red bell pepper, cut into ½ inch wide strips
1 large yellow bell pepper, cut into ½ inch wide strips
½ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
1 TBS chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
½ tsp dried basil leaves
½ tsp dried thyme leaves
½ tsp lemon pepper
¼ tsp salt
Combine vinegar, oil, onion, garlic, basil, thyme, lemon pepper, and salt in small bowl until blended.
Place asparagus, peppers, and your above prepared vinegar mixture in large plastic storage bag and marinate for 1 hour.
Prepare grill for cooking. Drain asparagus and peppers, reserving marinade.
Grill over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender, turning halfway through grilling time and brushing frequently with marinade.
It also works well to sauté vegetables in a large cast iron fry-pan until crisp tender. (Do not drain off marinade if doing this.)





Asparagus, Scallops, and Pasta (4 servings)
1 lb asparagus spears, trimmed
8 oz angel hair pasta
1 TBS fresh lemon juice
1 TBS olive oil
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 TBS butter
½ lb scallops
1/2 cup chicken broth
Trim the asparagus (peel woody stems if >1/2 inch in diameter), and cut spears into 2 inch pieces. Blanch in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes until crisp-tender. Drain and immediately submerge asparagus in cold water to stop the cooking process; drain.
Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain and return to saucepan. Stir in lemon juice, olive oil, and cheese. Cover to keep warm.
Saute garlic in butter in a skillet until just golden (about 1 minute). Add the scallops and cook until tender (2 to 3 minutes), stirring frequently.
Stir in the asparagus and broth, and cook for 2 minutes longer, stirring frequently. Spoon the scallop mixture over the warm pasta on a warm serving platter and serve immediately.

Asparagus Omelet with Chives (4 servings)
½ lb trimmed asparagus spears
4 TBS olive oil, divided
2 shallots, finely chopped
8 fresh chives, snipped
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 large eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 325 degrees and position rack in upper 1/3 of oven.
Cut asparagus into 1-inch pieces and blanch in boiling, lightly salted water for 3 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Blot dry.
In a medium frying pan over low heat warm 2 TBS of olive oil. Add shallots and sauté until softened, about 8 minutes. Add chives, garlic, and asparagus and sauté until the asparagus is tender. Remove from heat.
In a large bowl whisk the eggs until blended. Add the asparagus mixture and season with salt and salt and pepper.
In an ovenproof non stick frying pan, warm the remaining 2 TBS of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the egg and asparagus mixture and reduce heat to medium. Cook until the eggs are set around the edges, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Then transfer to oven and bake until fully set, about 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool briefly, invert onto serving plate, cut into wedges, and serve.
HINT: You can substitute a mild small onion for the shallots. Shallots have a bit of a milder flavor with a hint of garlic. Occasionally it is fun to try ingredients you don’t normally use, to taste the different nuances of flavor.

Asparagus Ham Rolls (8 servings)
1 ½ lb asparagus spears, trimmed
16 thin slices of ham
Prepared mustard
6 TBS butter, cubed
6 TBS all-purpose flour
2 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste
1 ½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese
6 green onions, sliced
Cook asparagus to crisp-tender, drain, and flush with cold water. Blot dry.
Spread one side of each ham slice with mustard. Roll ham around 2 to 3 asparagus spears. Layer, seam sides down, in a 11” by 7” baking dish. Set aside.
In a saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Blend in flour until smooth. Slowly stir in the milk, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring continuously. Cook and stir for about 2 minutes, until thickened.
Stir in cheese and chopped onions. Pour over ham rolls.
Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.


Italian Vegetable Pizza
2 TBS Italian salad dressing (do not use creamy)
½ lb asparagus, peeled, and cut into 2 inch pieces
1 medium yellow summer squash or zucchini cut into julienne strips (1 ½ cup)
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
Six 6-inch Italian bread slices
¼ cup clear Italian dressing
1 large tomato, chopped
¼ tsp pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/3 cup shredded Asiago or Parmesan cheese
In a medium skillet heat the 2 TBS Italian dressing,; add asparagus and squash; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, cook and stir 1 minute more.
Place bread shells on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush shells with the ¼ cup Italian dressing. Top with cooked asparagus mixture using a slotted spoon. Top with chopped tomato, sprinkle with pepper. Combine cheeses and sprinkle over top of pizza.
Bake at 400 degrees about 8 minutes or until pizzas heated through, and cheese melted.
HINT: Just add browned Italian sausage or pepperonis to turn this into a main serving pizza.


Prosciutto (Ham) Wrapped Asparagus
½ lb thinly slice prosciutto
6 thin slices Provolone cheese
12 spears asparagus, trimmed and peeled
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Blanch asparagus spears a few minutes until crisp-tender. Drain
Wrap Provolone slice around 2 asparagus spears and then wrap with prosciutto to cover cheese. Arrange in a single layer on medium baking sheet.
Bake about 15 minutes, or until asparagus is tender.


Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Bundles (4 servings)
1 ½ lb asparagus spears, trimmed
Olive oil for drizzling
Salt and pepper to taste
4 slice thick-cut bacon
Chopped chives or scallions for garnish (optional)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees or fire up the grill.
Lightly coat the asparagus spears with oil and sprinkle with seasonings.
Divide the asparagus spears in four, gather up the spears and wrap with bacon, securing together with a toothpick.
To grill, place the bundles on tinfoil and grill over low heat until the bacon is crisp and asparagus is tender.
In the oven, place bundles on broiler pan and bake for 12 minutes, or until bacon is crisp and asparagus is tender.
In the oven, place the bundles on broiler pan and bake for 12 minutes, or until bacon is crisp and asparagus tender.
Sprinkle with chives or scallions and serve.

Asparagus Cream Chowder (6 servings)
1 onion, chopped
1 TBS butter
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 lb new potatoes, cut into 1/3 inch pieces
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
2 lb fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into ½ inch pieces
½ tsp black pepper
½ cup milk
¼ cup half-and-half
Chives or parsley for garnish (optional)
Saute onion in butter in a heavy stockpot over medium heat until tender.
Add stock, potatoes, salt, and thyme and mix well. Cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Stir frequently.
Add asparagus and pepper, simmer for another 10 minutes or until asparagus is tender, stirring frequently.
Process ½ of the solids, the milk, and the half and half in a blender until pureed. Return the puree to the stock pot and mix well.
Simmer over low heat until heated through. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with chives or parsley.