Wild Asparagus Hunting

Spring is the perfect time to go wild asparagus hunting, no gun required, just a keen eye and a good memory.  Asparagus grows in the same place year after year so you can also mark the spots on your GPS.  Wild Asparagus grows along old fence rows or just along side the roads here in our county and we look forward to hunt every spring.  The season doesn't last long and you need to catch it at just the right time or your too late and it's all gone to seed.  Or someone else has beat you to it.  It seems asparagus always taste better when you find it yourself, it's so fresh and crisp.

 We either jump in the car and ride the country roads or we get on our 1999 Honda Recon 250 and take off for the hunt.  Once we get both of our rear ends on that little Recon it's squatin'.  What a fun relaxing time it is just riding the roads, talking, laughing, spending time together and picking delicious asparagus.  

 The asparagus just grows along side the road but it's hard to spot if you don't know what you are looking for.  The best way to find it is look for the old growth that went to seed the year before.  If the area has been mowed then you go by memory or GPS.

Once our basket  is full we head home to prepare our fresh asparagus.  Asparagus can be cooked many different.  We like it grilled, stir fried, and steamed.  Here's how I served it this week.  It's really pretty quick and easy.

Ingredients:

Fresh Asparagus

4 chicken Scratch Poultry egg yolks

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

pinch of cayenne

pinch of salt

Wash asparagus and trim off the bottom part if they're  a little woody.  Separate egg yolks and whisk together with lemon juice in a stainless steel bowl until the mixture is thickened and doubled in volume.



If your like me and don't have a double boiler, use a metal bowl that will sit on a sauce pan.  Put about 2 inches of water in the sauce pan, you don't want the water to touch the bottom of the bowl.  Place the bowl on the sauce pan and begin to simmer the water and continue to whisk the egg mixture rapidly.  Be careful not to let the eggs get too hot or they will scramble.

 Slowly drizzle in the melted butter and continue to whisk until the sauce is thickened and doubled in volume. 

Remove from heat and whisk in cayenne and salt.  Set aside in a warm spot until ready to use.  If the sauce gets too thick, whisk in a few drops of warm water before serving. 

I now steam my asparagus in a covered Pyrex dish in the microwave for about 4 minutes, I like it too still be a little crisp.  

Drizzle on your Hollandaise sauce and enjoy. 

Drop us a comment and let us know if you also hunt asparagus.  Start watching along side the road you just might spot some.

God Bless and have a great day!

Angie