? about asparagus ends

E

ejd

Active member
I always hear chefs on FN when cutting ends off asparagus that they can be used for soup or to make a broth. The only way I have used them is to add flavor when making chicken broth.

Are there really other ways others have used them.

 
If I have fat stalks I peel with a potato peeler before cutting end off and then....

I freeze them. If the stalks are thin and not too tough I freeze as is. Later I pull some out to make asparagus soup or to put in casseroles, pot roast, stir fries, batches of grilled veggies with hot oil to add to a salad, sometimes I saute with other veggies (onions, garlic, mushrooms, red sweet pepper), put in a sauce (usually a reduction of the butter and juices from the veg and half and half) and toss with pasta (I add black olives and fresh herbs) for a quick dinner.

Very versatile the lowly asparagus end.

 
easy and delicous soup with asparagus ends.......

Saute a chopped onion with about 3 chopped cloves of garlic, add chicken stock and asparagus ends (amounts depend on how much asparagus you have, I save them in a bag in the freezer until I have enough for about a 6 cups of broth or so. Simmer until asparagus is soft. Puree with stick blender and add about a cup of grated cheddar cheese. I usually use reduced fat to keep it all pretty healthy.

This is also good with a head of cauliflower. Then I add some caraway seeds too. Both freeze well.

 
I learned the hard way---do not put the peelings down the disposal. too stringy

and it clogged up something awful.

 
The Kitchen Aid disposal that came with this house was amazing. NOTHING got jammed. Until I put a

metal can opener (church key type) down there accidentally. Burnt out the motor before I figured out what happened.

This new heavy-duty disposal can barely break down bubbles. Everything jams the tempermental little bast...ket.

I keep a plunger and a step stool near by if I forget and put veggies peelings down it.

 
What's the point?

What's the point of a "garbage-eater" if it jams with a few peels?????

Hmmm

Now, if you *really* want to jam things nice and tight and make a plumber's delight, forget about how lamb fat congeals solid and won't melt with just a bit of boiling water poured on top of it. Ohhh boy, dad did that at the farm. Had to actually rip the floor up to get at the pipes and remove 'em and unclog 'em...

Happy memories smileys/smile.gif

 
and I had a family of 5 coming for dinner. thank god for over the sink cutting board

that hid the mess and my double sink. 6 hours later, liquid plumber and plunger---I finally got it unplugged. I can put other peelings down it, just not the stringy stuff.

 
I told H last week that I'm taking the old KA disposal with me. It's 33 years old, had spoons,

dishcloths, bones........all sorts of jammers rammed down it but carries on undaunted.

But I followed the rules and never put anything stringy down...celery, corn silk, asparagus. They didn't mention spoons.

 
FWIW - my grandfather is a plumber, and he recommends

not running anything more down the modern garbage disposal than the bits of food that get left in the sink after you fish out the large pieces.

I got in trouble a few times while living with my grandparents many moons ago and clogging up the pipes with remnants of recipe testing. smileys/bigsmile.gif

 
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