A Is for Asparagus

I've decided to make one post each week about some of the lesser known—or, perhaps, lesser used—items you might find in your local grocery store. (I like to teach people stuff because I'm a giver. That's just how I roll.)

So, welcome, class, to today's Fresh Pick: ASPARAGUS

Asparagus is one of the most nutritionally well-balanced vegetables in existence and leads nearly all produce items in the wide array of nutrients it supplies in significant amounts for a healthy diet. It is the leading supplier among vegetables of folic acid. A regular serving of about 5 stalks provides 60% of the recommended daily allowance for folacin which is necessary for blood cell formation, growth, and prevention of liver disease and its wealth of nutrients, fiber and very low sodium and calorie content make asparagus a nutritionally wise choice for today's health-conscious consumer.

Asparagus is a member of the Lily family whose spears grow from a crown that is planted about a foot deep in sandy soils. Under ideal conditions, an asparagus spear can grow 10" in a 24-hour period. After harvesting is done the spears grow into ferns, which produce red berries and the food and nutrients necessary for a healthy and productive crop the next season.

Select bright green asparagus with closed, compact, firm tips. (Other asparagus varieties include white asparagus—which comes from the process of etiolation, or the deprivation of light—as well as purple and "wild," but varieties are interchangeable in recipes, with the only difference being in the color of the resultant dish.) If the tips are slightly wilted, freshen them up by soaking them in cold water. Keep fresh asparagus clean, cold and covered. Trim the stem end about 1/4 inch—or hold at base and bend until it snaps off on its own. Refrigerate and use within 2 or 3 days for best quality. To maintain freshness, wrap a moist paper towel around the stem ends, or stand upright in two inches of cold water until you intend to use it.

Fresh asparagus is fantastic on its own with just a hint of other flavors, like lemon juice, chives, parsley, chervil, savory, tarragon or with a pat of butter.

For some great recipes, click here or here or try this simple side dish:

1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven or toaster oven to 350 degrees*. Spread out asparagus stalks on an aluminum foil-covered baking dish or cookie sheet. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Cook for 10 minutes and serve!

*If you'd prefer to boil asparagus instead, add asparagus to a pot of boiling water and cook for 7 minutes—the perfect cooking time for any boiled vegetable. Drain and add the olive oil, salt, and pepper.

NOTE: Sometimes, this might happen after eating asparagus. Do not be alarmed. It is perfectly normal.

Flex your mussel

Welcome, class, to today's Fresh Pick: MUSSELS

The term "mussel" is used for several families of bivalve molluscs inhabiting lakes, rivers, and creeks, as well as intertidal areas along coastlines worldwide. The freshwater and saltwater mussels are not closely related, and are grouped in different subclasses, despite some similarities in appearance. The freshwater Zebra mussels and their relatives live attached to rocks in a manner similar to marine mussels, but are classified with the Heterodonta, the taxonomic group including most bivalves referred to as "clams."

Archaeologically, there is much evidence for humans having utilised mussels as a source of food for thousands of years. Nowadays marine mussels are still a popular seafood item, especially in Belgium and the Netherlands, where they are consumed with French fries (mosselen met friet or moules frites). In Italy, they are a popular dish, often mixed with other seafood, or eaten with pasta. In Turkey, mussels are either covered with flour and fried on shishs (midye tava) or filled with rice and served cold (midye dolma). In France, the Éclade des Moules is a mussel bake popular along the beaches of the Bay of Biscay. In Cantonese cuisine, mussels are cooked in a broth of garlic and fermented black bean. In New Zealand, they are commonly served in a chili based vinaigrette.

Mussels can be smoked, boiled or steamed. As for all shellfish, mussels should be alive just before they are cooked because they quickly become toxic after they die. The mussel shells open by themselves when cooked. (Discard any that remain closed after cooking.) Months with an "r" in their name (September to April) are said to be the in season for mussels.

Intertidal herbivorous shellfish such as mussels and clams can help people reach a healthy balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fats in their diets.

For some great recipes, click here or here or try this delicious dish:

2 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 med shallot, minced
1/3 c white wine (or white cooking wine)
2 lbs mussels, rinsed, drained, and debearded
6 oz prewashed baby spinach
3 plum tomatoes, deseeded and diced
2 tsp tarragon

In a large pan over low heat, sauté garlic and shallot in olive oil until soft and translucent. Add white wine and mussels, cover pan, raise heat to medium-low, and steam mussels until shells open, about 7 minutes.

Uncover pan and transfer mussels to a warming dish. Turn heat to high and allow liquid to reduce (by boiling) for about 5 minutes. Lower heat back to medium-low and add remaining ingredients, cooking and stirring frequently until spinach wilts, about 5 minutes. Remove mixture from heat and pour over mussels. Serve with crusty bread and a salad.

What's better than basil?

Welcome, class, to today's Fresh Pick: BASIL

Basil [BAY-zihl, BA-zihl] is available year-round and is a wonderful herb to use in pasta (especially pesto and marinara sauces), poultry, and seafood dishes. Basil has a pungent flavor and clove-like aroma. When choosing, leaves should be fresh-looking, crisp, and brightly-colored. Depending on the variety—there are twelve!—leaves may vary in color from green to reddish-purple. (Sweet Basil is probably the most popular and is the perfect compliment to ripe red tomatoes and soft cheeses such as fresh mozzarella and brie.) If you are not going to use basil the same day you buy it, do not store it in the refrigerator. Temperatures below 48 F will turn basil black. Instead, put the stems into a glass of water as you would a plant cutting. Avoid herbs that are wilted, have dry brown areas, or are pale or yellow in color. Slimy looking dark spots with small areas of mold indicate old product or poor handling.

Basil is most commonly associated with Italian and Thai Cuisine, but the name basil comes from the Greek, meaning "kingly" and the herb itself originates in India, where it is has long been considered sacred. It was brought to the Mediterranean via the spice routes in ancient times and spread to other parts of Asia where it became popular in the use of curries in Thailand. In ancient Rome, the name for the herb, Basilescus, referred to Basilisk, the fire-breathing dragon. Taking the herb was thought to be the charm against the beast...and it continues to be a charm associated with love rituals. In Eastern Europe, it was assumed that a man would love the woman from whose hand he accepted a sprig of basil and when a woman placed a pot of basil on her balcony, it meant that she would be receptive to her lover. Basil has traditionally been given as a good-luck present to new home and business owners (a modern custom claims that basil will attract customers to a place of business if a sprig of the herb is placed in the cash register).

Basil is primarily a culinary herb. It has antibacterial and antiviral properties, but it is not an important herb for modern clinical herbalists. However, as a member of the mint family, basil is recommended as a digestive aid and an after dinner cup of basil tea makes a healthier alternative to the after-dinner mint.

For some great recipes, click here or here or try this simple dish:

1 16-oz package pasta (long or short—your choice)
2 roma (also known as plum) tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 c olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips (known as "chiffonade")
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. In a large bowl, gently toss the cooked pasta, tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and basil. Season with salt and pepper and serve!