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4 Things to Do with Asparagus
Make hummus, soup, hors d'oeuvres, or salad
It's versatile! Make hummus, soup, hors d'oeuvres, or salad with this early spring green. Surprise your guests by adding crabmeat to the vichyssoise. Delight them with a refreshing and nutritious salad. Add pita chips and aioli to go with your asparagus dish. Here's how.
Asparagus Hummus Served with Dukkah Spiced Pita Chips
Vegetables Recipes | Dips and Spreads Recipes | Beans Recipes
A new twist on hummus -- a combination of the brilliant green dip and fragrant, earthy spiced pita chips.
- 2 cups fresh asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 15-1/2-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and well rinsed
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
Prepare an ice-water bath and set aside. In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups salted water to a boil. Add asparagus and return water to boil. Cook about 4 minutes or until asparagus is cooked through and bright green. Drain asparagus and refresh in ice-water bath. After 5 minutes, drain and set aside.
In a food processor, combine chickpeas, garlic, and tahini, and puree. Add zest, juice, and asparagus, and process until smooth. With machine running, pour in olive oil and process until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with spiced pita chips.
Dukkah Spiced Pita Chips
- 1 package pita bread
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2/3 cup shelled pistachios
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup coriander seeds
- 3 tablespoons cumin seeds
- 1-1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1-1/2 teaspoons dried mint
- 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
Preheat oven to 375°. Separate each pita bread into two rounds. Brush cut sides with olive oil, then cut into small wedges. Place wedges on a baking sheet; set aside.
Heat a heavy, dry skillet over high heat; add pistachios and toast about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove nuts to a medium mixing bowl. In the same skillet, toast sesame seeds about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add seeds to pistachios. Repeat toasting process with coriander, cumin, and fennel, adding to same bowl. Add peppercorns, dried mint, and salt. Use a mortar and pestle to crush ingredients until they are the size of small bread crumbs (or pulse in a food processor to a dry, coarse consistency -- be careful not to overprocess).
Sprinkle dukkah spice mixture evenly over oiled pita wedges and toast the pita in the oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
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Chilled Asparagus Vichyssoise with Ginger Cream and Crabmeat
Fish and Seafood Recipes
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Start to Finish Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 10 servings
A welcome variation on this spring classic. The additional garnish of lump crabmeat adds an elegant element of surprise.
- 14 ounces lump crabmeat
- 1/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1-1/4 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 2-1/2 pounds fresh asparagus, tough bottom ends trimmed and discarded, stalks cut into 1-inch pieces, tips set aside
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 medium leeks, white parts and 1 inch of tender green parts only, thinly sliced
- 3/4 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 5 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium vegetable broth
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
Refrigerate.
Prepare an ice-water bath and set aside. In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups salted water to boil. Add asparagus tips and boil about 3 minutes, then place in ice bath until cooled. Drain tips and lay to dry on a paper towel.
In a large saucepan, melt butter and cook leeks, stirring well, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes, stock, and white wine, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add remaining asparagus (not reserved tips) and cook over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and puree (be cautious of the hot liquid). Allow soup to cool to room temperature, then strain through a sieve and discard solids. Stir in heavy cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.
To serve, place about 2 tablespoons crabmeat mixture into each of 10 chilled soup bowls and ladle soup on top. Garnish with a small dollop of crabmeat mixture and reserved asparagus tips.
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Roasted Asparagus with Black Olive Aioli
Vegetables Recipes
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Start to Finish Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
A simple, stationary hors d'oeuvres or first course to kick off the spring season.
- 2 pounds fresh asparagus, washed and tough bottom ends trimmed and discarded
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
Preheat oven to 475°.
Line a rimmed baking pan with aluminum foil. In a medium bowl, toss asparagus with olive oil and salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange asparagus on pan in an even layer and roast 10 to 15 minutes (depending on size) or until cooked through -- give the pan a shake after 5 minutes in oven to move asparagus around. Asparagus can be served either warm or at room temperature with black olive aioli served in a separate bowl.
Black Olive Aioli
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 large egg yolks or 2 tablespoons pasteurized egg product (such as Egg Beaters)
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 scallions, white parts only, minced
- 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup pitted oil-cured Kalamata olives, chopped
- Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
In the bowl of a food processor, combine garlic, yolks, lemon juice, mustard, and scallions. Process until blended. With machine running, slowly pour in olive oil, beginning with a few droplets and increasing to a thin, steady stream as the mixture emulsifies, until all of the oil is absorbed and the mixture is a thick mayonnaise consistency. Fold in olives and season with salt and pepper to taste. If the mixture seems too thick, thin it with a few teaspoons water; this will make it creamier.
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Lemony Asparagus and Spring Pea Salad with Roasted Almonds
Salads Recipes | Vegetables Recipes
Yield: 6 servings
A refreshing and nutritious salad of spring vegetables.
- 1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup shallots, minced
- 1/3 cup whole almonds
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 pound asparagus, washed and tough bottom ends trimmed and discarded
- 3/4 cup shelled fresh peas
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- 3 sprigs fresh mint, leaves removed and saved
- Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
- Garnish: 4 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler
In a medium skillet, warm 1/3 cup oil over medium heat. Add shallots and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Scrape shallots and oil from pan into a small bowl and set aside. Add 3 tablespoons oil to same pan over medium heat. Once oil is shimmering, add almonds and toast 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently until lightly browned. Add almonds to shallot mixture. Stir in lemon juice and set aside.
Prepare an ice-water bath and set aside. In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups salted water to a boil. Add asparagus and return water to a boil; cook 5 minutes. Remove asparagus with tongs (reserving water in pan) and place in ice-water bath. Return reserved water to a boil and blanch peas 3 minutes or until soft. Drain in a colander and refresh under cold running water. Add peas to almond mixture. Drain asparagus in colander and pat dry with a paper towel.
Arrange asparagus spears on serving platter with tips all facing the same direction. Add lemon zest and mint leaves to almond and pea mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Liberally spoon over asparagus and garnish with cheese shavings.
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