One of the true harbingers of spring is the appearance of the first stalks of asparagus popping through the soil in the garden. We are so excited that this year one of our 3 asparagus patches will be ready to harvest. (You have to wait 3 years after the first planting to reap the benefits, but the plants can last as long as 20 years! That’s a pretty good return on investment, we think). They say that when it’s ready, and as the weather warms, you might have to harvest TWICE A DAY to keep up! It’s as if you can almost watch them grow…as Squeaky is seen doing here:
Check out this post from last August to see what the foliage looks like in the second year. If you’d like to add an asparagus patch to your garden, here are some tips.
Maybe in a year or two, we will be able to actually harvest enough to use at breakfast at our Maryland inn. In the meantime, we’ve been getting most of our asparagus from a lovely, local, family farm, Godfrey’s.
And did you know that…
May is National Asparagus Month!
That’s only 2 weeks away, so in preparation for that, we’re sharing a recipe for one of our favorites.
Asparagus and Cheese Frittata with Croutons Serves 2, maybe 3
6 eggs
1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped, cooked, asparagus: roasted, grilled, or steamed (still warm)
1/4 to 1/2 cup shredded cheese of your choice ( we like to mix cheddar, Parmesan and Gruyère)
small handful off garlic croutons, home-made or store-bought!
salt and pepper to taste
butter and/or olive oil for the pan
Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees.
Briskly stir the eggs with a whisk or a fork and set aside. Heat a little butter and olive oil in a 10 inch skillet over medium high heat. When butter is melted and just starting to sizzle, pour the eggs into the pan. Using a heat-resistant spatula, stir the eggs around in the pan scraping the sides into the middle while tilting the pan as if you were making an omelet. Do this for about a minute and then top with the warm asparagus, cheese, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss the croutons on top and transfer pan to a warm oven for another minute or two, or just until the eggs are set.
Slide out of pan and onto a serving plate. May be enjoyed warm or even at room temperature. Paired with a green salad, it makes a lovely lunch.
We like to make these in smaller, 8 inch pans for individual servings at the Brampton. The fillings and cheeses can be anything you like, but we really do love the asparagus in a frittata.
So enjoy the spring and eat your asparagus!