Asparagus and rhubarb

In spite of our cool weather, spring-bearing perennials have been producing tasty edibles.  The rhubarb patches are largely unhampered by the cold.  We don't have a patch at our current location, but the neighbors are always happy to share.  Once a patch is well-established, I have yet to meet anyone who has been interested in using up their entire patch production.  I enjoy the tartness combined with some sweetness, and sometimes some dairy.  Mine usually goes into sauce (lovely on toast or ice cream), muffins (these freeze well and stay nice and moist) or desserts (I have a rhubarb custard recipe that everyone in the family likes).

Asparagus is also in season, but the cold has slowed it down significantly.  I'm garden tending for neighbors who are traveling for a couple of weeks, and part of my job is to find the asparagus spikes (they have patches scattered around the yard) and harvest them so they don't go to seed too early.  Most sources I've seen suggest harvesting for around three weeks before allowing the spikes to grow out and flower to put energy into the roots for the following season.  With the dry May we had, some of the first spikes harvested were a little bitter, and they were few and far between in the patch.  Since the rain, growth has picked up and the flavor has sweetened back to normal. 

Fresh local asparagus is an entirely different vegetable than the store bundles shipped from across the country.  If you’ve never been an asparagus fan, you need to try fresh, locally grown.  The taste is more like garden peas with just hint of asparagus “wildness”.  Good and good for you, I hope you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy these spring treats.

Related Links:

For extended length article, visit Common Sense Homesteading

Recipes:

Pork with Rhubarb Sauce
from www.rhubarbinfo.com

 Ingredients:

3 lb Pork loin center rib roast (8 ribs)
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper; coarsely ground
1/2 lb Rhubarb, fresh; chopped (2 cups)
1/4 cup Apple juice concentrate; thawed
2 Tablespoon  Honey
Nutmeg, ground
2 Tablespoon  Water
1 teaspoon Cornstarch

Directions:

Have the butcher loosen the pork roast backbone, if possible, for easier carving. Rub the roast with salt and pepper. Place bone side down in a small, shallow roasting pan. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest portion of the roast; make sure bulb doesn't touch bone, fat, or the pan. Roast, uncovered, at 325 F. until the thermometer reads 150 F., about 75 to 90 minutes.

For the sauce, in a medium saucepan stir together the rhubarb, apple juice concentrate, honey, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat, cover, and simmer ten minutes or until the rhubarb is very tender. Mix the water and cornstarch; stir into the rhubarb mixture. Cook and stir until the sauce is thickened and bubbly. Continue cooking for two minutes more.

When the meat thermometer registers 150 F., spoon some of the sauce over the roast. Continue roasting until the thermometer reads 170 F., about 30 to 45 minutes more. Spoon on additional sauce occasionally. Let the roast stand 15 minutes before carving. Heat any remaining sauce and pass with the roast.

Cream of Asparagus Soup
from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

1/4 cup margarine
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups water
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed chicken broth
4 tablespoons chicken bouillon powder
1 potato, peeled and diced
1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and coarsely chopped
3/4 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

Directions:

1. Melt butter or margarine in a heavy cooking pot. Add onions and chopped celery; saute until tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in flour, mixing well. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Do not burn, or let it go lumpy. Add water, chicken broth, and chicken soup base; stir until smooth. Bring to a boil. Add diced potatoes and chopped asparagus. Reduce heat, and simmer for about 20 minutes.

2. Puree soup in a food processor or blender in batches. Return to pot.

3. Stir in half and half cream, soy sauce, and black and white pepper. Bring soup just to boil. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve hot.

Ready In: 1 Hour
Servings: 6