NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.
Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/483826
16 NEBRASKAland • APRIL 2015 Wild Asparagus By Julie Geiser I look forward to spring every year – not only to warmer weather and spring showers, but spending time driving back roads to hunt for asparagus in the ditches. I find myself constantly looking for the dried asparagus plants from the previous year. The brownish, pale yellow plants along the ditch and fencerows look much like any of the other dead weeds from the past year. But the dead asparagus plant is a little different, and once you train your eye to spot them, can be easy to find. The old asparagus plant is about three feet tall and has a main trunk, unlike dried weeds from the previous year that have visible forking stems. Usually the asparagus plant will have beautiful lacy foliage – however, the wind and weather over the fall, winter and early spring will take its toll, breaking off the outer edges. Once you locate the old plants and memorize what they look like, spotting the new plants of the spring is easy to do. I like to mark locations on my GPS, which makes locating the the scrumptious green sprouts much easier. Asparagus grows in a variety of places – it likes water, but not saturated. It grows in well-drained soil in ditches, riverbeds and alluvial plains where there is plenty of moisture available. It prefers full sun, but will grow in heavier soil and partially shaded areas. Asparagus (comes from the Persian word asparag, which means sprout), is a green sprout with a purplish-green spear at their top. The plants typically live eight to 10 years – the thicker the spear, the older the plant. Thinner spears are usually tenderer, but when gathering them I never get picky. Gathering and storing the spears is easy, simply cut or snap them off about six to eight inches below the top of the spear. At home, hold the stalks upside down under water to flush any sand or dirt that might be caught in the spear tips, wrap the stem ends in a wet paper towel and seal the asparagus in a plastic bag to store. The spears will last several days in the refrigerator. Asparagus lasts for about a year when frozen and can be used in all recipes including casseroles, soups, steamed or in stir fry. To freeze, simply blanche or steam the sprouts and place in a freezer bag or container, be sure to get all the air out of the bag or container, label and date the asparagus. Vacuum sealing asparagus is another great way and arguably the best way to preserve the texture and flavor of asparagus. The sealer draws the air out of the vacuum bags to provide an air tight seal. This allows quick and easy freezing without blanching or steaming. When using frozen asparagus, do not thaw before cooking or adding to recipes to keep the quality and crispness of the spears. The tender green sprouts are tasty and can be added to almost any dish. They are delicious in omelets, sauté them in butter and garlic with a twist of lemon, slip them on the grill, add chopped sprouts to soups or try them in a favorite casserole. ■ Deep fried asparagus sprinkled with cheese makes a great spring-time treat. Asparagus can be prepared in many ways – cut asparagus into bite-sized pieces, dip in egg batter then coat in crushed saltine cracker crumbs before deep frying until golden brown. The asparagus plant appears brighter than the other straw-colored dead plants around it. PHOTOS BY JULIE GEISER