Asparagus

Spring is here and Asparagus is the spring season choice vegetable. Asparagus is usually sold in bundles, standing upright in water. Choose fresh looking, firm spears with tight tips. Smell them first to be sure they don't give off an unpleasant Oder(if they do they are old). Check the cut ends of the stalks, they should be moist, not dried out. Cook your asparagus with in 2 days of purchase.

The simplest preparation is to just toss the spears with olive oil and a little sea salt, add pepper before putting them in a 400 degree oven, or a hot skillet. Cooking time depends on the thickness of the spears and how crowded your pan is, but when the spears are just tender(a knife will meet slight resistance), they're done. Yum!!!

Asparagus pairs well with many foods, but some of it's best flavors are lemon, orange, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, eggs, mushrooms and shellfish particularly shrimp.