SPRING SIDES; ASPARAGUS, ARTICHOKES......

Spring Sides: Asparagus, Artichokes …

          April invariably comes associated with Asparagus as the preferred vegetable of the season. If you live in Maine and are fortunate to have an asparagus patch in your garden, it will be another month before you see those first green spikes pushing up through the ground and plan your week’s menus. For now, we can only appreciate those perky green bunches in the grocery and mentally pair them in a variety of side dishes.

          The classic way to serve asparagus is with Hollandaise sauce, but unless you are a purist and don’t need to watch your calories, here are a few other options. To ensure you have the tender part only, snap the bottom of each spear where it breaks easily, wash the spears thoroughly and if cooking in salt water, do not boil longer than 3 minutes, unless you want soggy spears or are making soup and will puree the vegetable.

                                      Asparagus-Prosciutto Spears

          This can be served as an appetizer or a side dish with lunch or dinner. Simply wrap each generous sized spear of asparagus in the center with a thin slice of Prosciutto, arrange lengthwise on a plate. Garnish with a yellow pansy or lemon slices.

                                      Pan Roasted Asparagus  

          Melt 1 tblsp. butter and 2 tblsp. olive oil in a large pan. When hot (not smoking) add several sprigs of fresh thyme and the trimmed slender asparagus in a single layer and turn with tongs to coat. Cook for about 8 minutes turning often until browning in spot. Sprinkle with tarragon vinaigrette: 2 tblsp. soy sauce, 1 tblsp. lemon juice, 1 tblsp. rice vinegar, ½ tsp. tarragon.

                                      Asparagus with Egg Sauce

          The ingredients for this are similar to Hollandaise sauce, but the texture is quite different. Melt 4 tblsp. butter in a small sauce pan and stir in ¼ cup soft bread crumbs. Continue to stir on medium heat until the bread crumbs are lightly browned. Remove from heat. Stir in 3 hard cooked egg yolks, finely crumbled, ¼ tsp. salt, 1 tblsp. minced parsley and some white pepper. Arrange cooked asparagus on a plate and pour sauce over the middle of the spears.

          Unlike asparagus, artichokes do not grow easily in Maine. The globe artichoke is a member of the thistle family originally from the Mediterranean and its bud contains an edible base, leafy bracts and an inedible choke that needs to be removed. The trick is harvesting the bud early in development, since as it matures it becomes stringy and tough and no amount of cooking will make it edible. Fresh artichokes should be tight in bud and very firm. For best fresh artichokes travel to Italy or California to savor fresh baby artichokes. Fortunately we have easy access to canned and frozen artichoke hearts of this unusual vegetable.

                                      Artichoke-Parmesan Appetizer

          Mix together 1 cup cream, 1 cup sour cream, 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese. Add ½ to 1 cup of chopped jalapeno pepper according to taste and stir in 1 drained 14 oz can quartered artichoke hearts. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees and serve with crackers or thin slice of baguette.

          Easter ham is a tradition in many homes, usually accompanied with fresh asparagus and roast potatoes. Some years ago, it occurred to me that an artichoke bread pudding could make an interesting side dish for this celebratory meal. This recipe has evolved through the years and is still a favorite at our house.

                                     Provençal Artichoke Bread Pudding

          Start with 3 cups of bread cubes from stale baguette or French bread. In a bowl beat 6 eggs with: 1 tblsp. Dijon mustard, 1 tblsp. herbes de Provençe, 1 tblsp. thyme, 1 tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. pepper and 1 ½ cups chicken broth. Toss the egg mixture with the bread and pour in an 8x8x2 baking dish that has been sprayed with a buttery baking spray. Press down bread to be submerged in the liquid. Drain well a 14 oz can of quartered artichokes and shred 4 oz. of Gruyere cheese. In a skillet heat 2 tblsp. olive oil and sauté 1 large thinly slice onion for 5 minutes until golden, stir in 2 minced garlic cloves and the drained artichokes. Cook for another 5 minutes until the artichokes start to brown. Remove from heat, toss with 2 tblsp. lemon juice and  ¾ of the shredded Gruyere and spread over the bread mix, pressing down all ingredients. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ Gruyere and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve warm as a side dish for meats or a luncheon accompanied with a salad.

          Come May we can look forward to fiddleheads, our own special Maine vegetable side dish.           

          (I. Winicov Harrington lives in coastal Maine and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)