At some point over the last two years, bemoaning the popularity of ramps became more popular than eating them. Whether it’s justifiable backlash to overly-precious vegetable trends or simply the natural cycle of gustatory hipsterdom, I’m not sure, but it’s getting hard to ignore the chorus of wild allium skeptics, and I estimate that we’re roughly a year out from their “critical reappraisal” stage. (“Ramps are Good, Actually.”)
I like ramps, and I typically buy a lot of them when they first arrive at the market, but their flavor is a bit secondary to the joy of a fresh, green thing after so many winter months. It’s one of the few traditions we city-dwellers have in common with those closer to nature, the first clear sign that peak produce is on the way; I could never hate on that. But despite how it may seem, ramps are not, in my eyes, the king of spring. Green garlic, spring onions, and English peas, while all wonderful offerings, don’t win that title either. For me, at this time of year, it’s all about asparagus.
Asparagus are widely available, they’re always good, and, most importantly, they ask so little of you; two minutes in boiling water and they’re a star supporting player on just about every plate. They also go superbly well with another chef fixation — eggs of any kind — making them a key part of any brunch from now until July. Best of all, they are magnificently green; this, I think, is what makes them the uncontested winner of spring.
As with many vegetables, I think simple cooking is best. The first recipe here is about as simple as it gets, but it’s also the way I make asparagus most often: peeled and blanched, with olive oil, lemon, and salt. That’s the baseline for the other preparations, as well, since I think a quick blanch preserves the best of that electric-green quality that can only be had in the spring.
Simple Asparagus
Ingredients
1 bunch of fresh, large asparagus (it needs to be large enough to successfully peel)
Extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Ice water
Kosher salt
Flaky salt
Instructions
Prepare the asparagus: trim the woody ends with a knife, about an inch or so. With a vegetable peeler, peel the asparagus from the head down with one consistent motion for each peel, working around the asparagus spear; you want to peel them cleanly while minimizing the amount taken off.
Bring a large pot of water to boil. When boiling, add a generous amount of kosher salt and set it down to a simmer.
Add the asparagus and cook for about 2 minutes.
Remove the asparagus and immediately blanch in ice water until the asparagus is fully cooled.
Remove and pat dry. You can hold this in a container in the fridge for a few hours or up to overnight. Season with olive oil, lemon juice, and salt.
Fried Rock Shrimp and Asparagus with Mayonnaise
Serves 2-3
Ingredients
Asparagus from the above recipe
1/2 pound of rock shrimp
1/2 cup semolina flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 egg, whole
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
3-4 cups of vegetable/canola/grapeseed oil
1 garlic clove, grated
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt
Flaky salt
Lemon wedges
Instructions
Make the mayonnaise: in a tall container, add the egg, Dijon, garlic, a pinch of salt, and 1 cup of oil. Blend with an immersion blender until fully emulsified, working the blender around the container with enough space to thicken all of the mixture. Set aside in the fridge.
Arrange 3 plates or shallow bowls in order: flour with a few pinches of salt, eggs, breadcrumbs.
Heat 2-3 cups of oil in a cast iron pan to 350 degrees F.
Dredge the rock shrimp: roll them in flour and shake off excess, then do the same in the egg mixture, then cover in breadcrumbs.
When the oil is hot, drop in the rock shrimp and fry, gently pushing them around for even cooking, until they are a light golden brown. Remove and set on paper towels and immediately salt them, generously.
Serve the rock shrimp with the asparagus, mayonnaise, and lemon wedges.
Asparagus Orzo Pesto Salad
Serves 3-4 people
Ingredients
1 pound orzos
1 bunch asparagus, sliced into 1/2-inch-long rounds (heads kept intact)
1 bunch basil leaves
1/2 cup pistachios, roughly chopped
1/2 cup green olives, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon creme fraiche
Juice of 1 lemon
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Instructions
Make the pesto: first, blanch the basil leaves. Drop them in boiling water for 3 seconds, then immediately drop them in ice water until completely cooled. Ring out to dry. Blend them with half the pistachios, a generous amount of olive oil, and salt. Set aside.
Blanch the chopped asparagus for 2 minutes in boiling water, immediately cooling in ice water. Set aside.
Boil the orzos in generously salted water according to package instructions. Drain and cool them under running water. Allow them to drain further and then add to a large bowl.
Add the asparagus, pesto, olives, and the rest of the chopped pistachios. Add creme fraiche and toss vigorously. Add the lemon juice and salt to taste. Garnish with a few torn basil leaves.