Feet in Water, Heads in Steam: Asparagus
By Pamela Lee, from the April 1998 Newsletter
Though the Ancient Greeks ate asparagus gathered from the wild, the Romans were the first to cultivate it. Romans lavished so much attention on their asparagus beds that, reportedly, some stalks weighted 3 pounds apiece! Julius Caesar is said to have liked his asparagus topped with melted butter.

Asparagus (like onions, leeks, and garlic) is a member of the lily family. This elegant and nutritious vegetable is low in calories and sodium, and is a good source of vitamins A, B2, and C, as well as glutathione (an antioxidant), potassium, iron, calcium, and fiber. Beside all the nutritional benefits, fresh asparagus simply tastes good.

Whether you prefer fat asparagus stalks or thin, freshness is the key to good flavor. When shopping select firm stalks with tightly closed buds. The stem end should look freshly cut, not all dried out. If it's not going to be cooked immediately, store asparagus in the refrigerator with the stem ends submerged in a half inch of water.

To prepare asparagus, grasp each spear at either end and snap. The stalk will break naturally at the point where the stem gets tough and woody. And, though I once thought the practice odd, I now peel asparagus, especially if the spears are fibrous, and definitely if I'm roasting it.

I've read that the ideal way to cook asparagus spears is with their feet in water and heads in steam, and one can buy tall, narrow pots with rack inserts that allow you to do just that. While asparagus is tasty steamed, boiled, sautéed, or grilled, lately I've come to prefer it peeled and oven roasted. Roasting intensifies flavor and adds delectable nutty, caramelized notes. When cooking asparagus, select stalks of uniform thickness, or synchronizing the doneness will be difficult.

Steaming: If you own one of those tall narrow pots, bring an inch of water to boil in the bottom. Place the asparagus stems in the water, cover and steam for about 5 minutes. Or, lay the spears in a rack over boiling water, cover, and steam until tender.

Boiling: Bring salted water to a boil before submerging the asparagus. Don't cover the pan, since trapped chemicals from the asparagus can turn it yellow. You may flavor your cooking water by simmering bay leaves, shallots, garlic, and salt for at least 10 minutes before adding the asparagus.

Sautéing: Asparagus can be sautéed whole or thinly sliced. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan. Add asparagus, salt, and freshly ground pepper. Cook over medium-high heat until golden brown and just a little crispy.

Grilling: Brush asparagus with olive oil, salt lightly, then grill over medium-low heat, turning it often.

Roasting: Preheat oven to 400°. Peel asparagus spears below the buds, then lay them on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast about 15 minutes, turning once or twice as they cook. When done, the spears will be lightly browned, crisp, and delicious.

The following recipe is from the May, 1996, issue of "Eating Well Magazine." Since first making this dish two years ago, I've served the roasted vegetable portion of the recipe (without the linguini) on top of quinoa, rice, millet, and tossed green salad. The pasta salad idea works just as well with quinoa pasta. You can find a variety of quinoa pasta in the Coop's bulk section.

Roasted Vegetables & Linguini Salad

3/4 pound linguini
1 t. plus 2 T. ex. virgin olive oil
1 1/2 lbs. asparagus, trimmed and peeled
3 bunches scallions, trimmed
2 large red bell peppers, seeded
1 t. salt
1 t. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1) Position racks in lower third and middle of oven; preheat to 450°F.

2) Break linguini into pieces about 3 inches long. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the broken linguini until al dente, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water until cool. Press to remove excess water. Transfer to a large bowl, toss with 1 t. of the oil and set aside.

3) Cut asparagus and scallions into pieces about 3 inches long. Slice red peppers into thin strips. In a large bowl, toss the vegetables with the remaining 2 T. oil, salt, and pepper. Divide the vegetable between 2 large baking sheets, spread them in an even layer. Roast for about 10 minutes, stir the vegetables and switch the positions of the baking sheets. Continue roasting, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and well-browned, 10 to 15 more minutes.

4) Toss vegetables with linguini. Add Parmesan and vinegar and toss again. Makes about 8 cups, for 4 servings.

Roasted Asparagus with Lemon-Chili Oil

From CookWise by Shirley O. Corriher:

1 shallot, minced
1 t. dried red pepper flakes
1/4 t. white or black pepper
1/4 cup peanut, corn, or blended vegetable oil
Finely grated zest of 3 lemons
1 t. water
25 to 30 spears fresh asparagus, about 1 lb.
1/2 t. salt

1) Bring the shallot, pepper flakes, ground pepper, and oil to a simmer in a small saucepan. Simmer over very low heat for about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the zest of two lemons only (save one to garnish) and the water. Let stand for at least an hour, then strain the oil into a small bowl.

2) Preheat the broiler or preheat the oven to 500°F.

3) Snap the tough bottoms off the asparagus spears. Arrange in an oblong heatproof dish, stir in 2 T. of the prepared flavored oil, and roast the spears about 3 inches from the broiler for 5 minutes, or 6 7 minutes on the top shelf of the oven. Spoon the rest of the flavored oil over the asparagus. Sprinkle with salt. Taste and add more salt if needed. Sprinkle with the remaining zest and serve immediately

Asparagus Tart with Ricotta

from "The Complete Encyclopedia of Vegetables and Vegetarian Cooking" by Christine Ingram

For the pastry:
6 T. butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt

For the filling:
8 oz. asparagus
2 eggs, beaten
8 oz. ricotta cheese
2 T. plain yogurt
3 T. grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1) Preheat the oven to 400°F. Rub the butter into the flour and salt until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Stir in enough cold water to form a smooth dough and knead lightly on a floured surface.

2) Roll out the pastry and line a 9-inch tart pan. Press firmly into the tin and prick all over with a fork. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the pastry is pale but firm. Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 350°F.

3) To make the filling, trim the asparagus, cutting 2 inches from the top and chopping the remaining stalks into 1inch pieces. Add the stalks to a saucepan of boiling water, and after 1 minute add the tops. Simmer for 45 minutes, until almost tender, then drain and refresh under cold water.

4) Beat together the eggs, ricotta, yogurt, Parmesan cheese and seasoning. Stir in the asparagus stalks and pour the mixture into the pastry shell. Arrange the asparagus tips on top, pressing them down slightly into the ricotta mixture.

5) Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes, until golden. Serve warm or cold.

Tofu Desserts
by Eva Strand, from the April 1998 Newsletter
Tofu in desserts…is this the Co-op's idea of an April fool's joke or can good old, spongy, tasteless, "good-for-you" tofu be part of a delicious dessert?? The lack of taste and texture in tofu is the key here—tofu can be anything you want it to, anything from barbecued sandwich slices to chocolate cream pudding.

For desserts I use the Mori-Nu creamy silken tofu, available at the Co-op in 10.5 oz aseptic packages. Silken tofu whipped with a sweetener and at least one flavorful ingredient such as chocolate, vanilla, or fruit, is the beginning of a cream pie or cheesecake-type dessert. Decorate the tofu dessert as you would your favorite cream pie or cheesecake and nobody could ever know what is hidden between the crust and the cherries.

Considering all the good press tofu has gotten lately you may even dare tell your children, spouse or dinner guests what they are eating. Tofu is low in saturated fats, is cholesterol-free, and contains calcium, iron, and vitamins B1, B2, and B3 as well as other trace minerals. Recent research gives many more reasons to add tofu to our menus. Studies of longevity and low cancer rates among Asian peoples suggest that a high consumption of soy products (such as tofu) along with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains help prevent cancer and heart disease. Five anti-carcinogens have been identified in soybeans: isoflavonoids, saponins, phytosterols, soy phytates, and protease inhibitors. Isoflavonoids are structurally similar to human estrogen but much weaker and studies show that they may help prevent breast cancer and alleviate the negative symptoms of menopause. Furthermore, research shows that these anti-carcinogens may prevent or slow prostate cancer, reduce LDL oxidation that can lead to atherosclerosis, as well as thin the blood to prevent heart attacks and strokes. Allergies to dairy or eggs are other reasons to investigate tofu as a dessert ingredient (make sure you don't develop a soy allergy though from excessive tofu consumption!).

No time to make dessert? Mori-Nu makes an instant pudding mix available in three flavors: chocolate, vanilla, and lemon crème, all available at the Co-op. Add one package of silken tofu and a bit of water, pour in a pie crust or serving bowl and chill for a few hours to create this no-fuss, low-effort, nutritionally-correct dessert. My kids like the chocolate version of this pudding a whole lot.

April fool's joke or not, the only way to find out is to try tofu in your own desserts....

Chocolate Cream Couscous Cake

Justifying chocolate eating by adding tofu? Maybe. Anyhow, try tasty dessert from "Friendly Foods" by Brother Ron Pickarski

3/4 c pecans
2 1/2 c water
1 1/2 c Sucanat
1/2 c cocoa
1 c couscous
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

Filling:
10 oz chocolate chips, melted
2 packages (10 1/2 oz each) firm silken tofu
3 Tbsp. maple syrup or honey

Roast the pecans at 300°F for 30 mins., remove from oven and cool. Grind in a food processor until they have the consistency of coarse meal. In a medium saucepan, stir together water, Sucanat, cocoa and couscous. Simmer until it thickens (5-10 minutes). Add vanilla. Spread the mixture in a 9-inch spring form pan. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the pecans over the couscous.

Mix the ingredients for the filling in a blender. Pour filling into the couscous crust and sprinkle with remaining nuts. Refrigerate for 2 hours and serve cold.

Strawberry-Topped Tofu Cheesecake

This tasty, non-dairy cheese cake is from "Cooking with the Right Side of the Brain" by Vicki Rae Chelf

Crust:
1/2 c whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 c rolled oats
1/2 c finely shredded coconut
1/2 c oil
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. water, or as needed

Filling:
1 cup cashews
10.5 oz firm silken tofu
1/2 c honey
1 c soy milk
1 1/2 Tbsp. arrowroot powder
1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. grated lemon peel

Topping:
2 c sliced strawberries
1/2 c water
3 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. agar flakes

Mix the ingredients for the crust and press directly into a 9" pie pan.

Process ingredients for the filling in a food processor until very smooth. Pour into the pie crust and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Chill.

Arrange 1 1/2 cups of the strawberries on top of the cake. Cook the remaining berries with the water, honey and agar flakes for 5 minutes until the agar is dissolved. Blend in a blender, chill and pour over the cake. Chill until set.

Healthy One-Dish Meals in Minutes
Written by the editors of PREVENTION Magazine Health Books
200 no-fuss, low-fat recipes, $27.95
Rodale Books
Reviewed by Eva Strand in the April 1998 Newsletter

Healthy One-Dish Meals is a treasure to rely on for all those days that fly by so fast that they leave no time for cooking that nurturing, home-cooked meal you'd love to eat. Most recipes in this book can be on the table in less than 45 minutes; the 'express meals' in 15 minutes or less.

Healthy One-Dish Meals is not primarily a vegetarian cookbook, although it features many vegetarian recipes. All recipes are low-fat and low-salt and are accompanied by nutritional information. The directions are easy to follow and the ingredient lists are pleasantly short, but still generous, when it comes to herbs and spices. The non-vegetarian recipes are mostly based on chicken, fish, or shrimp and are deliciously flavored with vegetables, herbs and spices. Try low-fat varieties of classics such as Spaghetti and meatballs, Chili, Lasagna, Macaroni and cheese, and Hungarian goulash, or go for the newer flavor combinations in Shrimp and feta skillet dinner, Cajun Chicken, Szechuan shrimp or Linguini with savory mushroom sauce. Other chapters feature comforting soups and fresh salads, vegetarian feasts, pizza, and sandwiches, baked casseroles, and microwave meals. While the authors are a bit too fond of canned food for my taste, I get around this minor problem by using my own home-cooked beans or fresh tomatoes or other vegetables instead of canned.

For the novice or the experienced cook, this beautifully illustrated hardback cookbook can simplify your kitchen life for many evenings to come. Following are three recipes from Healthy One-Dish Meals to give you a taste of what this book has to offer.

Chicken and Chilies
(Makes four servings )

12 oz cubed, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt (optional)
2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (8 oz) reduced-sodium tomato sauce
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (4 1/2 oz) chopped, mild green chili peppers
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1-2 tsp sugar (optional)
3 c hot cooked rice

Sprinkle the chicken with the black pepper and salt (if using).

Coat a large nonstick frying pan with no-stick spray. Brown the chicken over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside until the chicken is cool enough to handle. Cut into small strips.

In the same pan, combine the oil, onions, garlic, and 2 tablespoons of broth. Saute' for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the onions are soft. Add the tomato sauce, beans and remaining broth to the pan. Stir to mix well. Add the chili peppers, chili powder, cumin and reserved chicken. Bring to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and the liquid has thickened. Taste the sauce. If it's too acidic, add the sugar. Serve with rice.

Shrimp and Feta Skillet Dinner

3 Tbls defatted, reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 c thinly sliced scallions
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
12 oz peeled and de-veined shrimp
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/2 c cubed feta cheese
8 oz uncooked fusilli

In a large nonstick frying pan, combine the broth, oil, scallions and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the scallions soften. Stir in the oregano, lemon juice, and parsley and mix well. Stir in the shrimp, cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until shrimp turns pink. Stir in the tomatoes and feta. Cook for 2 minutes, or until tomatoes are hot. While the sauce is cooking, cook the fusilli in a large pot of boiling water until tender. Drain. Served topped with sauce.

Linguini with Savory Mushroom Sauce

1 ounce dried shitake mushrooms
3 oz sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed)
1 c boiling water
1 c defatted reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 c sliced fresh mushrooms
1 can (14 1/2 oz) Italian-style stewed tomatoes
12 oz uncooked linguini

Place the shitake mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and water in a small bowl. Soak for 10 minutes. Bring the broth to a boil in a frying pan and add garlic and fresh mushrooms. Add the soaked mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes plus the soaking liquid. Cook for 5 minutes, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Transfer to a food processor and puree coarsely. Return the puree to the pan, add the stewed tomatoes and heat through. While the sauce is still cooking, cook the linguini and drain. Toss with the sauce until well combined. Enjoy!

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