Thread: trimming asparagus

"maxine in ri" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Got some asparagus for $1 at the reduced rack couple days ago. Trimmed
> off the bottom inch, put em in a container with water and they stood
> up straight by the next day.
>
> Though I had lopped off enough of the bottoms, so rinsed them, tossed
> them with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice, and
> roasted them for 20 minutes, til they started to look a little brown.
>
> Hadn't cut off enough of the bottom. They were half tough and
> stringy.
>
> How do you pick good asparagus (I'm not going to waste my money again
> on the iffy stuff)? How much of the bottom do you break off? How do
> you know _where_ to break it off?
>
> Some bargains just aren't bargains.
>
Maybe when they are old they are tough.

"maxine in ri" wrote:
>
> Got some asparagus for $1 at the reduced rack couple days ago.

Trust me, don't get involved with any reduced rack.

>Trimmed
> off the bottom inch, put em in a container with water and they stood
> up straight by the next day.

Wish I could do that with just water. LOL

> Though I had lopped off enough of the bottoms, so rinsed them, tossed
> them with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice, and
> roasted them for 20 minutes, til they started to look a little brown.
>
> Hadn't cut off enough of the bottom. They were half tough and
> stringy.
>
> How do you pick good asparagus (I'm not going to waste my money again
> on the iffy stuff)? How much of the bottom do you break off? How do
> you know _where_ to break it off?
>
> Some bargains just aren't bargains.
>
> maxine in ri

Zactly... they were way past their prime. that's what you get for a buck.
Wasn't worth the olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice, and cooking
time/fuel... "roasted them for 20 minutes"... not only dried out and tough
any tenderish portion would taste crappy... not worth having your piss
stink.

maxine in ri <[email protected]> wrote:

>How do you pick good asparagus (I'm not going to waste my money again
>on the iffy stuff)? How much of the bottom do you break off? How do
>you know _where_ to break it off?

Cut out a section and chew on it to see how tough it is.
If it's too tough, you need to trim them back more than that.

Steve

maxine in ri <[email protected]> wrote:

> Got some asparagus for $1 at the reduced rack couple days ago. Trimmed
> off the bottom inch, put em in a container with water and they stood
> up straight by the next day.
>
> Though I had lopped off enough of the bottoms, so rinsed them, tossed
> them with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice, and
> roasted them for 20 minutes, til they started to look a little brown.
>
> Hadn't cut off enough of the bottom. They were half tough and
> stringy.
>
> How do you pick good asparagus (I'm not going to waste my money again
> on the iffy stuff)? How much of the bottom do you break off? How do
> you know _where_ to break it off?
>
> Some bargains just aren't bargains.

Grab the asparagus at the large end and at the center. Bend in
half. It will naturally break where it turns from tough to edible.
Or you can cut off the bottom half inch and peel the bottom portion
with a veggie peeler.

-sw

On Sun 29 Mar 2009 04:41:52p, maxine in ri told us...

> Got some asparagus for $1 at the reduced rack couple days ago. Trimmed
> off the bottom inch, put em in a container with water and they stood
> up straight by the next day.
>
> Though I had lopped off enough of the bottoms, so rinsed them, tossed
> them with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice, and
> roasted them for 20 minutes, til they started to look a little brown.
>
> Hadn't cut off enough of the bottom. They were half tough and
> stringy.
>
> How do you pick good asparagus (I'm not going to waste my money again
> on the iffy stuff)? How much of the bottom do you break off? How do
> you know _where_ to break it off?
>
> Some bargains just aren't bargains.
>
> maxine in ri
>

I usually select medium-thick to thick spears, but regardless of the
diameter of the spear, the head should be tight.

I don't cut asparagus, but rather, hold the top end almost halfway down the
stalk, and with the other hand grasp the bottom and bend until it snaps.
It will usually leave a ragged break which can be trimmed if you wish.

I've found this method the most reliable for determining where tender and
tough meet.

--
Wayne Boatwright

"One man's meat is another man's poison"
- Oswald Dykes, English writer, 1709.

Wayne Boatwright <[email protected]> wrote:

> I've found this method the most reliable for determining where tender and
> tough meet.

Hey - great idea! Too bad I just posted that a half-hour earlier.

-sw

In article
<[email protected]>,
maxine in ri <[email protected]> wrote:

> How do you pick good asparagus (I'm not going to waste my money again
> on the iffy stuff)? How much of the bottom do you break off? How do
> you know _where_ to break it off?
>
> Some bargains just aren't bargains.
>
> maxine in ri

I prefer the fatter stalks to the pencil-thin stalks. I hold the top
(maybe halfway up) of the stalk in my left hand and the bottom of the
stalk in my right hand and bend. It breaks where it will. I toss the
bottom part (might be as much as 2"). If I am feeling virtuous
(something that rarely occurs) I may peel the bottom part and use it for
soup. Mostly I don't.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.me.com/barbschaller - pot pie
"What you say about someone else says more
about you than it does about the other person."

Melba's Jammin' <[email protected]> wrote:

>In article
><[email protected]>,
>I prefer the fatter stalks to the pencil-thin stalks. I hold the top
>(maybe halfway up) of the stalk in my left hand and the bottom of the
>stalk in my right hand and bend. It breaks where it will. I toss the
>bottom part (might be as much as 2"). If I am feeling virtuous
>(something that rarely occurs) I may peel the bottom part and use it for
>soup. Mostly I don't.

Asparagus stems are among the vegetable scraps we routinely
set aside to use to make vegetable stock. Much of our cooking
is dependent upon having stock on hand. (Generally we freeze
it in ice-cube trays, sometimes in larger containers.)

The only vegetable scraps we discard are crucifers.

Steve

Sqwertz wrote:
>
> Grab the asparagus at the large end and at the center. Bend in
> half. It will naturally break where it turns from tough to edible.

Baloney. I've seen people do that, and they waste
a considerable amount of very good asparagus that way.

> Or you can cut off the bottom half inch and peel the bottom portion
> with a veggie peeler.

That's the right way to do it. If you can save the
bottom ends from people who use the snap method to find
the "natural" break in the asparagus, peel those ends,
then slice into chunks for an excellent stir-fry
ingrediant.

On Mar 29, 9:41*pm, maxine in ri <weed...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Got some asparagus for $1 at the reduced rack couple days ago. Trimmed
> off the bottom inch, put em in a container with water and they stood
> up straight by the next day.
>
> Though I had lopped off enough of the bottoms, so rinsed them, tossed
> them with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice, and
> roasted them for 20 minutes, til they started to look a little brown.
>
> Hadn't cut off enough of the bottom. *They were half tough and
> stringy.
>
> How do you pick good asparagus (I'm not going to waste my money again
> on the iffy stuff)? *How much of the bottom do you break off? *How do
> you know _where_ to break it off?
>
> Some bargains just aren't bargains.
>
> maxine in ri

I use the bend and snap method too. It might waste a little, but the
remaining portion is always tender and tasty.

I made a lovely asparagus and mushroom fritatta for lunch today.
Sauteed some fresh asparagus and sliced mushrooms. Added a little
crumbled bacon and some diced sharp cheddar and mozza. Poured in the
egg/cream/pepper mixture and then set it in the oven to bake. Served
with hot buttered whole grain toast and fruit and yogurt and it made
for a wonderful lunch/brunch mea for hubby and i.

maxine in ri wrote:
> Got some asparagus for $1 at the reduced rack couple days ago. Trimmed
> off the bottom inch, put em in a container with water and they stood
> up straight by the next day.
>
> Though I had lopped off enough of the bottoms, so rinsed them, tossed
> them with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice, and
> roasted them for 20 minutes, til they started to look a little brown.
>
> Hadn't cut off enough of the bottom. They were half tough and
> stringy.
>
> How do you pick good asparagus (I'm not going to waste my money again
> on the iffy stuff)? How much of the bottom do you break off? How do
> you know _where_ to break it off?
>
> Some bargains just aren't bargains.
>
> maxine in ri

In an episode of Jacques Pepin's "More Fast Food My Way" Jacques first
peeled the bottom portion of the asparagus stalk and then broke off the
bottom portion. He said by peeling first, you expose more of the tender
part of the stalk and will need to break off less length. I've begun
peeling the bottom of the stalks first, then breaking the ends and I
think I do get more edible/tender pieces from each stalk that way.
-mickey

In article
<[email protected]>,
maxine in ri <[email protected]> wrote:

> Got some asparagus for $1 at the reduced rack couple days ago. Trimmed
> off the bottom inch, put em in a container with water and they stood
> up straight by the next day.
>
> Though I had lopped off enough of the bottoms, so rinsed them, tossed
> them with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice, and
> roasted them for 20 minutes, til they started to look a little brown.
>
> Hadn't cut off enough of the bottom. They were half tough and
> stringy.
>
> How do you pick good asparagus (I'm not going to waste my money again
> on the iffy stuff)? How much of the bottom do you break off? How do
> you know _where_ to break it off?
>
> Some bargains just aren't bargains.
>
> maxine in ri

Snap off the tough bottoms and save them for stock.
Peeling them also works.
--
Peace! Om

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.
It's about learning to dance in the rain.
-- Anon.

In article <[email protected]>,
Sqwertz <[email protected]> wrote:

> maxine in ri <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Got some asparagus for $1 at the reduced rack couple days ago. Trimmed
> > off the bottom inch, put em in a container with water and they stood
> > up straight by the next day.
> >
> > Though I had lopped off enough of the bottoms, so rinsed them, tossed
> > them with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice, and
> > roasted them for 20 minutes, til they started to look a little brown.
> >
> > Hadn't cut off enough of the bottom. They were half tough and
> > stringy.
> >
> > How do you pick good asparagus (I'm not going to waste my money again
> > on the iffy stuff)? How much of the bottom do you break off? How do
> > you know _where_ to break it off?
> >
> > Some bargains just aren't bargains.
>
> Grab the asparagus at the large end and at the center. Bend in
> half. It will naturally break where it turns from tough to edible.
> Or you can cut off the bottom half inch and peel the bottom portion
> with a veggie peeler.
>
> -sw

Agreed.
--
Peace! Om

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.
It's about learning to dance in the rain.
-- Anon.

In article <[email protected] 0>,
Wayne Boatwright <[email protected]> wrote:

> On Sun 29 Mar 2009 04:41:52p, maxine in ri told us...
>
> > Got some asparagus for $1 at the reduced rack couple days ago. Trimmed
> > off the bottom inch, put em in a container with water and they stood
> > up straight by the next day.
> >
> > Though I had lopped off enough of the bottoms, so rinsed them, tossed
> > them with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice, and
> > roasted them for 20 minutes, til they started to look a little brown.
> >
> > Hadn't cut off enough of the bottom. They were half tough and
> > stringy.
> >
> > How do you pick good asparagus (I'm not going to waste my money again
> > on the iffy stuff)? How much of the bottom do you break off? How do
> > you know _where_ to break it off?
> >
> > Some bargains just aren't bargains.
> >
> > maxine in ri
> >
>
> I usually select medium-thick to thick spears, but regardless of the
> diameter of the spear, the head should be tight.
>
> I don't cut asparagus, but rather, hold the top end almost halfway down the
> stalk, and with the other hand grasp the bottom and bend until it snaps.
> It will usually leave a ragged break which can be trimmed if you wish.
>
> I've found this method the most reliable for determining where tender and
> tough meet.

I thought that was the standard? Mom taught that method to me when I
was about 4.
--
Peace! Om

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.
It's about learning to dance in the rain.
-- Anon.

In article <[email protected]>,
Melba's Jammin' <[email protected]> wrote:

> In article
> <[email protected]>,
> maxine in ri <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > How do you pick good asparagus (I'm not going to waste my money again
> > on the iffy stuff)? How much of the bottom do you break off? How do
> > you know _where_ to break it off?
> >
> > Some bargains just aren't bargains.
> >
> > maxine in ri
>
> I prefer the fatter stalks to the pencil-thin stalks. I hold the top
> (maybe halfway up) of the stalk in my left hand and the bottom of the
> stalk in my right hand and bend. It breaks where it will. I toss the
> bottom part (might be as much as 2"). If I am feeling virtuous
> (something that rarely occurs) I may peel the bottom part and use it for
> soup. Mostly I don't.

Melba, freeze those bottoms and run them thru the Victorio strainer for
cream of asparagus soup. :-) If you have the patience. <g>

They are also good as a stock ingredient.
--
Peace! Om

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.
It's about learning to dance in the rain.
-- Anon.

maxine wrote on Sun, 29 Mar 2009 16:41:52 -0700 (PDT):

> Though I had lopped off enough of the bottoms, so rinsed them,
> tossed them with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon
> juice, and roasted them for 20 minutes, til they started to
> look a little brown.

> Hadn't cut off enough of the bottom. They were half tough and
> stringy.

> How do you pick good asparagus (I'm not going to waste my
> money again on the iffy stuff)? How much of the bottom do you
> break off? How do you know _where_ to break it off?

> Some bargains just aren't bargains.

Asparagus at its best should be fresh looking and mostly green. I prefer
it pencil-thin and then you just bend the stalk and move along until it
snaps easily. If you buy the thick stuff, cut off any brownish parts and
use a vegetable peeler to remove the last few inches of skin.

I usually cook asparagus by boiling or steaming for 6-8 minutes. I also
use it in Chinese stir fries after blanching for 2-3 minutes and cutting
into 2 inch pieces on the diagonal.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

"Sqwertz" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]..
> Wayne Boatwright <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> I've found this method the most reliable for determining where tender and
>> tough meet.
>
> Hey - great idea! Too bad I just posted that a half-hour earlier.
>

You forget how many people have you kfed.

cybercat wrote on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 11:00:35 -0400:


> "Sqwertz" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]..
>> Wayne Boatwright <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> I've found this method the most reliable for determining
>>> where tender and tough meet.
>>
>> Hey - great idea! Too bad I just posted that a half-hour
>> earlier.
>>

Does everyone read every post even when not kill-filed? Not every topic
is of equal interest.
--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

On Sun, 29 Mar 2009 20:35:08 -0500, Sqwertz wrote:

> Wayne Boatwright <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> I've found this method the most reliable for determining where tender and
>> tough meet.
>
> Hey - great idea! Too bad I just posted that a half-hour earlier.
>
> -sw

i don't think most people read *all* of a thread before deciding to whom
and how to respond, steve. besides, he may have you killfiled.

your pal,
blake