Planting your spring garden early might give you a head start on yummy vegetables, or could result in the loss of your efforts if there is a spring snow!
Sauteéd young asparagus with prosciutto and pine nuts captures the essence of spring on a fork!
…and here’s some reasons why!
This was actually the second snow of this weekend, the first came in Friday night and was melted off by mid-morning Saturday. We got a second snowstorm Saturday afternoon that left the garden like this Sunday morning- April 10! Our normal direct sowing date is just under a month away- about May 7 or so.
By this afternoon the garden had returned to looking normal…
April’s Frosty Weathervane
I just couldn’t pass this up, much too charismatic! I love how the snow/frost has crystallized on the surface, making it look almost furry.
Fogbound snowy neighbor
1920’s Sears and Roebuck Craftsman style house, across our back horse pen. Moved here a few years ago from just a couple miles down the road when the alfalfa farm was sold for development. Originally built by a Russian immigrant family. Dad spent 11 years making the bricks to build the house, by hand, each and every day. Tastefully refinished with a nice wrap around porch and the original oak hardwood floors brought back to life.
Never has sold, was finished just before the market blew up. I love the feeling this has.
Hope you enjoyed some beautiful sights this weekend!
One of the sure signs that Spring is near is the arrival of tender, young Asparagus.
Now I realize that some folks aren’t all that excited about this unusual vegetable, but it is something like Eggplant, or even Brussels Sprouts. Store-bought, it is not that appealing and is often rightly described as insipid. A lot of us grew up with mushy, steamed-to-death stalks of slightly slimy green yuck.
I thought much the same until encountering the young green stalks growing alongside the irrigation ditches as a pre-teen. Sliced off just below ground level to encourage next year’s growth, taken straight home, washed and lightly sauteed in butter before being drenched in eggs with fresh home grown tomato, basil and oregano in a classic frittata, I fell in love with that incredibly fresh, lingering taste of Spring. So much so, in fact, that I have been hesitant to buy asparagus from the store, preferring to get it from the Farmer’s Market or other fresh sources.
I have found that the sautee method keeps the crisp texture while concentrating the fresh taste, while steaming or boiling creates the mushy texture and drains the flavor out.
Here is a different approach to the presentation, that has a medley of fresh flavors that will make it memorable in a positive way!
Melt butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Stirring constantly, sautee the garlic and pine nuts in the melted butter until the garlic is fragrant and the nuts just begin to turn brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice.
Add the asparagus and prosciutto to the mixture and toss to mix evenly. Continue to sautee until asparagus is bright green, tender and still just slightly crisp, about 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; serve hot.
Serves 6 as a side dish.
Don’t Plant Your Garden Too Early…
Planting your spring garden early might give you a head start on yummy vegetables, or could result in the loss of your efforts if there is a spring snow!
Young Asparagus with Prosciutto and Pine Nuts
Sauteéd young asparagus with prosciutto and pine nuts captures the essence of spring on a fork!