All over the world there are asparagus recipes of every kind to delight the palate. Asian cooks usually will stir-fry the shoots and combine it with chicken, shrimp, and beef. Sometimes Cantonese restaurants wrap asparagus spears in bacon or grill it over charcoal or hardwood embers.
Asparagus spears can be sliced on a slant, French style, and after being steamed and boiled are served with hollandaise sauce, olive oil, Parmesan cheese or mayonnaise.
Some adventurous cooks will pickle asparagus which is a way of keeping it for an exceptionally long time. Asparagus can be frozen, canned, or eaten raw.
You cannot mistake the smell of asparagus when it is cooking. Two organic compounds of asparagus responsible for the pungent odor are methanethiol and dimethyl sulfide, while dimethyl sulfoxide and dimethyl sulfone give off a sweet aroma.
The very creative chef will make a casserole that is simple and nutritious. An especially good dish can be made by sprinkling 8 crushed soda crackers in the bottom of a buttered 2-quart casserole Then, drain 2 cups of canned asparagus with 1 cup of the liquid from set aside. Mix the reserved liquid with a can of cream of mushroom soup, and fold in the asparagus, 4 chopped hard-boiled eggs and salt and pepper to taste. After you spoon this mixture into the casserole, drizzle 1 stick of butter over the top and sprinkle with 16 crushed soda crackers. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes and you have a feast for 8-10 of the most discriminate dinner guests.
Nowadays there are many great ideas for speedily preparing asparagus. Merely steam the shoots in a tall, narrow cooking pot which allows the tips to stay out of the water. Then, add a little butter. Delicious!
