NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State
University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665
April 16, 1998
Mention fall and thoughts turn to pumpkins and squash and gourds, all of which are members of the same plant family. Mention spring and thoughts turn to edible perennials. Did you know there is a member of the lily family that's better suited for sitting in a veloute sauce than in a vase?
I'm talking about asparagus, and of course you don't have to eat it only with veloute sauce, a key feature of which is either chicken or veal stock or fish fumet—a fancy French word for stock. I'll talk more about broths, stocks and sauces in another column, but we're supposed to be talking about asparagus here, so I won't digress further.
As I said, you don't have to eat asparagus in a sauce, although many people do like their asparagus creamed and on toast. I like fresh asparagus in stir-fry. Sometimes I take the asparagus that grows in our garden and eat it raw with a vegetable dip. It doesn't get any fresher than that. During the winter, I've used frozen asparagus cuts as a topper on my vegetarian pizzas. The cuts are a nice addition to scrambled eggs too, along with some fresh mushrooms that you've sauteed long enough to stop the weeping which fresh mushrooms are wont to do.
Asparagus and pasta salads are a natural combination. Just make sure you've included some diced ham and a Dijon-mustard dressing. For an entree, consider wrapping those thin slices of deli ham around a couple of par-boiled asparagus spears and then baking the bundles in a cheese sauce. Serve with warm rolls or fresh bread and a rice pilaf and I'm willing to bet that even the fussiest of eaters might think twice before turning down asparagus again.
Or try the recipe that follows, which features what arguably is a veloute sauce. Julia Child might beg to differ because the recipe calls for broth instead of stock and skim milk instead of cream, but when you're trying to eat a more healthful diet, cooking can be a lot like horseshoe, and this version of veloute sauce is close enough to score points.
Asparagus Enchiladas
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
48 fresh asparagus spears (about two bunches)
6 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup fat-free (skim) milk
2 cups fat-free chicken or vegetable broth
1 tablespoon minced lemon peel
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
salt and white pepper to taste
12 raw corn tortillas (1 package, depending upon brand)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup sliced green onions
Procedure:
Trim woody base from asparagus spears; scrape off scales. Rinse
and par-cook spears in salted water for 5 to 8 minutes; drain and
cover with cold water. Put oil in small saucepan over medium
heat; when hot add garlic, cook for 1 minute and add flour to
form a roux. Cook roux (resembles peanut butter consistency) for
5 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, bring milk and broth to simmer in
medium saucepan; whisk in roux and allow sauce to thicken; add
lemon peel and cilantro or parsley and season to taste with salt
and pepper. Remove saucepan from heat and place on a hot pad in
work area. Drain asparagus. Spray a 13x9x2 baking pan with
cooking oil and spread 1 cup of sauce in bottom. Using kitchen
tongues, coat tortillas, one at a time, with sauce in saucepan
and then lay on large plate; place four asparagus spears in each
tortilla, roll up and place seam side down in baking pan. Spoon
remaining sauce over stuffed tortillas. Bake at 325 F for about
20 minutes or until sauce is bubbly. Remove from oven and
sprinkle with cheese and onions. Continue baking until cheese
melts. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
What's Your Take on This, Julie?
In ancient times, asparagus was believed to have medicinal properties such as preventing heart disease and relieving bee stings. Brought to the United States by European immigrants, asparagus became known as "sparrow grass" and "sparagrass" during colonial times.
Considered a gourmet item by some, fresh asparagus is quite perishable and can be somewhat costly, unless you're fortunate to have an asparagus patch in your garden. Since it has scales instead of leaves, it is important wash and scrape the stalks thoroughly to remove hidden dirt.
Asparagus should be stored in a refrigerator in a tightly sealed container or plastic bag with the stem ends kept in moist toweling. Preparation is quick and diverse. In fact, the Roman Emperor Augustus referred to anything fast as "quicker than you can cook asparagus."
Asparagus is low in calories, with 2/3 cup containing about 20 calories. It also provides fiber, vitamin A as beta carotene, vitamin C and iron.
A serving of this recipe—two enchiladas—contains about 400 calories and 22 grams of fat, which is about one-third of the recommended amount of fat for the day. While the fat content might send up a red flag to dieters, it's important to note that most of the fat comes from olive oil and is primarily monounsaturated, rather than saturated.
The more saturated the fat, the harder it is at room temperature. High saturated fat intake, along with other lifestyle factors and genetics, is linked with risk for heart disease. While our Food Guide Pyramid has fats and sweets at the tip and advises us to use them sparingly, the Food Guide Pyramid for the Mediterranean diet has a special category advising regular use of olive oil (and also wine, but that's another story).
The saturated fat in this recipe comes from the cheddar cheese, which also contributes calcium. If you're concerned about your fat intake, try using a reduced-fat cheese or less cheese. A smaller serving size is another option.
Enchiladas and other "wrapped" food are a current trend in restaurants and homes. Tempt your family's tastebuds with an ancient vegetable remedy with a modern gourmet twist.
###
Sources: Dean Hulse (701) 231-6136
Julie Garden-Robinson (701) 231-7187
Click here for a pdf version of this graphic.