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Silver Lining Farm asparagus - huge but tender

Today's Front Burner column was all about Silver Lining Farm, a pick-your-own asparagus farm in Craig County. If you haven't seen the column yet, you can read it here.

Nan Gray and Eric Day, both scientists, spend hours and hours laboring over their asparagus patch. The combination of their scientific knowledge and their dedication to perfection are probably the secret to their asparagus, which I can say without a doubt is the best asparagus I have ever eaten.

Of course, it could be that's just because I've never picked asparagus from a field and eaten it for dinner that very night. My experience has always been with bunches of asparagus in the grocery store that came from Peru or Costa Rica. But even those are superior to canned asparagus.

I put a lovely curried asparagus recipe in the paper with my column today, but I'd like to share two other recipes, as well. One is a chicken-asparagus casserole recipe that I found and made on Sunday. It was so good I had to practically drag my husband away from it so we'd have leftovers! The other is a great recipe for potlucks or cookouts because the asparagus can be eaten hot, cold or lukewarm-- and with your fingers!

If you have a favorite asparagus recipe, I would love to hear it.

Asparagus and Chicken Noodle Casserole
Serves 8
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

2 bunch asparagus, trimmed, cut in 2-inch pieces
8 oz. dry wide egg noodles
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup finely diced onions
2 cloves minced garlic
2 Tbsp. flour
3 cups milk
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 pound cubed cooked chicken (about 4 breasts, or meat from 1 whole chicken)
6 oz. shredded white cheddar cheese (yellow cheddar is also good)
3/4 cup plain bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Preparation:
Bring a pot of salted water to a rapid boil. Cook the asparagus for 1 minute, remove from the pot with a strainer and rinse on cold water and reserve. Cook the noodles in the same salted water, 1 minute less than the directions. Drain, and add to a large mixing bowl.

Melt the butter in a saucepan, and sauté the onions over med-low heat for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and flour, and continue cooking, stirring, for another 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk, mushroom soup, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring, until the mixture begins to simmer and thickens.

Add the cooked sauce to the bowl of noodles. Add the chicken, asparagus and half the cheese, and mix with a spatula to combine. Pour the mixture into a 11 x 14 casserole dish, and top with the rest of the cheese. Mix the breadcrumbs and olive oil until combined and spread evenly over the casserole. Bake for 35 minutes, at 350 degrees, until bubbling and browned.

Source: About.com

Asparagus with Sesame-Ginger Vinaigrette

1 lb. fresh asparagus

Dressing:

1 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds*
1 small clove garlic
1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. orange juice
2 tsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. red chile flakes
1/4 tsp. sesame oil

Instructions:

1. Break off any woody parts of the asparagus stalks. Bring lightly salted water to boil in a medium skillet, add asparagus and cook for 5 minutes or just until tender-crisp. Immerse asparagus in ice-water to stop the cooking action. Pat dry and arrange on a platter.

2. In a blender, combine the dressing ingredients and blend until thoroughly combined. Pour dressing evenly over asparagus and serve. Makes 1/3 cup.

* To toast sesame seeds, put them in a small skillet and heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant and just golden. Watch carefully so they do not burn.

Source: www.bigoven.com