Heather Rockwood is a food science junior and Mustang Daily food columnist.
In the fast-paced culture of America, we want everything to be accomplished instantly and with little to no time spent waiting. Unfortunately for us, that is not how the world of nature typically plays out. In nature there are seasons, days, weeks, months and even years of waiting for a crop to finally be ready to harvest, but if we are patient, there is one veggie that seeks to catch up and grow at the rapid production pace we deem vital to the American lifestyle.
Asparagus, a member of the Lily family, and a close relative to onions, leeks and garlic, takes quite some time to warm up, but once it hits its prime season it produces like nothing you have ever seen before. AfteProxy-Connection: keep-alive
Cache-Control: max-age=0
the crowns are first planted, the grower must wait up to three years before the first crop is ready for harvest, but then it is a challenge just to keep up with this vivacious veggie. Within 24 hours, a stalk of asparagus can grow up to 10 inches. This peak growing season lasts late spring to summer totaling about six to seven weeks — until the asparagus once again remembers it’s not an American and rejects instant productivity, and instead embraces nature’s call to wait until the next season.
When purchasing asparagus from the market, it is important to keep a few things in mind. First, in true American style, bigger is better — the larger the diameter of the stalk, the more tender it will be — but watch out for a woody stalk.
Also, look for closed tips with firm stems. There are three color varieties to choose from. The most common is green, and then there is white — this variety is accomplished by packing sandy soil on top of the growing stalks to eliminate the sun from reaching the plant and thus stopping the production of chlorophyll (pigment responsible for the green color). Finally, there is the purple variety which has a slightly higher sugar content and a much fruitier taste. This variety also has higher levels of anthocyanins (helpful antioxidants).
After purchasing comes storing the asparagus. The truth is, storing asparagus is not highly recommended. Along with their extremely quick growth rates, these veggies have high respiration rates — the rate at which starches are broken down to sugars due to the plant’s intake of oxygen after being harvested. For the best quality it is important to consume these vegetables within 48 hours of purchase. To maintain the best quality within those 48 hours of storage, you can either wrap a damp paper towel around the bottom of the stalks, or place them upright in 1 to 2 inches of water.
One of the major health benefits asparagus has is its excellent source of folacin (folate). This is the natural form of vitamin B9 found primarily in leafy green vegetables as well as the stalks of asparagus; often people recognize the synthetic form, folic acid. Folacin, a member of the B-complex vitamins, is an essential element in supporting the growth and formation of red blood cells as well as skin cells within our body. Folacin is also a key factor in pregnancy, protecting the baby from harmful neural tube defects such as spina bifida.
With graduation just around the corner and multitudes of celebrations coming up, you will need a quick and easy appetizer, but don’t cop out and just grab boxed snacks. Impress all your friends by providing a delicious, healthy and elegant asparagus appetizer. Not to mention you can look rather insightful when you inform them that the use of asparagus was your attempt at a symbolic gesture — after years of patiently waiting (in classes and underground), your friends and the asparagus are now ready for the fast paced growth of the workplace set before them.
HINT: This member of the Rose family has a whole museum dedicated to it in Belgium.
Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
Ingredients
1 lb. fresh asparagus
8 to 10 slices of prosciutto
Fresh cracked pepper and salt to taste
Fresh lemon (optional)
Directions
Wash and trim asparagus spears. Cut prosciutto slices in half. Wrap one-half strip prosciutto around each asparagus spear, leaving the tip and end exposed. Lay on a cookie sheet with sides. Season to taste with pepper and salt. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until prosciutto is cooked. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Optional: Squeeze fresh lemon juice over cooked spears.)