Seasonal Pantry: Asparagus, Sonoma County's harbinger of spring

The first commercial Sonoma asparagus arrived in late January, when Tom Noble offered it at his Armstrong Valley Farm's stall at the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market. It vanished quickly.

With January's rain and a week of warm weather, we can expect to see plenty of local asparagus by Valentine's Day, which makes a perfect indulgence if you observe the holiday at home. A platter of roasted asparagus, eaten with one's fingers, is a deliciously sensual indulgence. Add a few simple accompaniments - a delicate green salad, perhaps, and a little chocolate truffle for dessert - and you have a lovely meal that doesn't leave you overly full. On Valentine's Day, it's a good idea not to overeat.

Asparagus is typically one of the first signs of spring, and this year's crop has arrived before other early signs: Fields of mustard, fresh favas, artichokes, the very first strawberries. It is also something you can indulge in without worrying about consequences. Eight stalks have just 22 calories, 3 grams of protein and a wide array of vitamins, including Vitamins A, B6, C and E.

When you buy asparagus, look for the fattest stalks. Many chefs and food writers say the opposite, that the thinnest “baby” stalks are the best, but this is not accurate. The thin stalks are actually from older plants. The fattest stalks are from younger plants, have more flavor and better texture. Stalks should not be wrinkled, which indicates they were harvested quite some time ago, and their tips should be tightly closed.

If you are buying asparagus in a supermarket that binds the stalks tightly, check around the rubber band to make sure they have not started to mold or go soft, which sometimes happens.

When you get asparagus home, it should go directly into the refrigerator. At room temperature, its sugar converts to starch fairly quickly and its Vitamin C diminishes rapidly. It is best to enjoy it within a day or two. When you get very fresh asparagus, either from your own garden or from a farmers market, you can enjoy it right away raw, cut into thin diagonal slices, dressed with your best olive oil, salt, pepper and little strips of prosciutto or jamon serrano.

For asparagus recipes from the Seasonal Pantry archives, visit “Eat This Now” at pantry.pressdemocrat.com.

___

Everyone who loves asparagus should know this technique by heart, as it is much easier than boiling or steaming and gives perfect results. Asparagus cooked in this way does not need to be peeled, either, and it can be enjoyed neat or in a variety of dishes, including asparagus risotto, pasta primavera and all manner of appetizers and salads. If you have a toaster oven, this is a perfect time to use it so that you don't have to heat a large oven.

Roasted Asparagus

Serves 3 to 4

16-20 fat asparagus stalks

- Olive oil

- Kosher salt

- Black pepper in a mill

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Snap off the tough ends of the asparagus stalks, set them on a baking sheet and drizzle with a little olive oil. Turn the asparagus in the olive oil so that each stalk is evenly coated. Season lightly with salt.

Put the asparagus into the preheated oven and cook until tender, from 7 to 14 minutes; the fatter the stalks, the longer they'll need to cook. Transfer to a platter, season with black pepper and enjoy neat.

Other serving suggestions:

Drizzle with a bit of Meyer lemon olive oil just before serving with wedges of fresh Meyer lemons.

Just before serving, top with a warm vinaigrette and grated hard-boiled egg.

Top with a bit of toasted sesame oil and gomashio (a condiment of toasted sesame seeds, toasted seaweed and salt).

Serve topped with curls of Vella Dry Jack, Parmigiano-Reggiano or a similar cheese.

Top with toasted bread crumbs and a splash of extra virgin olive oil.

Top with roasted, peeled and sliced beets and a simple orange vinaigrette (olive oil, white wine vinegar, fresh orange juice, pinch of ground clove, salt and pepper).

___

Vichyssoise, traditionally made with potatoes and leeks, is delicious with asparagus and watercress, especially in the spring, when both are at a peak of flavor. Add some mustard cream and, if you have any, some mustard flowers (just scatter a few on top) for a spring celebration in a bowl. When it comes to beverages, I recommend a dry sparkling wine or sparkling water to enjoy with this soup.

Asparagus Vichyssoise with Watercress & Mustard Cream

Makes 3 to 4 servings

1 pound fresh asparagus, preferably fat stalks

- Olive oil

- Kosher salt

6 cups, approximately, chicken stock

1 large or 2 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

- Generous handful of watercress, rinsed and dried

- Black pepper in a mill

1/2 cup creme fraiche

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, plus more to taste

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Snap off and discard the tough part of each asparagus stalk. Set the asparagus on a baking sheet, sprinkle with a little olive oil and turn to coat each stalk. Season with a little salt. Set in the oven and cook until tender, from 7 to 14 minutes, depending on the size of the stalks. Remove from the heat and set aside.

While the asparagus cooks, pour the stock into a saucepan, add the potatoes and set over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.

Set aside several of the best watercress leaves, add the rest to the sauce, cook for 1 minute, remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Remove the asparagus from the oven and let cool. Cut the asparagus into small dice and stir into the pot with the potatoes. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until very smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Pass the soup through a strainer, pressing to get as much of the mixture through the strainer as possible; discard any leftover solids.

Put the creme fraiche into a small bowl, add the mustard, season with salt and pepper. Stir, taste and correct the seasoning.

To serve warm, ladle into soup plates and garnish with a swirl of mustard cream and a few watercress leaves.

To serve chilled, refrigerate the soup for at least 2 hours. Remove from the refrigerator, taste and correct for salt. Ladle into soup plates, add a swirl of mustard cream and a few watercress leaves and enjoy right away.

Variation: Serve the soup warm and top each serving with a poached egg before adding the mustard cream and watercress.

Michele Anna Jordan is author of the new “Good Cook's” series. Email her at michele@saladdresser.com or visit her blog at pantry.blogs.pressdemocrat.com.