THE RELUCTANT GOURMET COOKING COMMUNITY

kell · Joined: 17 Nov 2007 Posts: 473 Location: NWND

Green chili burgers and red onion strawberry salad with raspberry poppy seed dressing for us tonight. Sliced tomatoes and cukes also.

jfield · Joined: 18 Nov 2007 Posts: 553 Location: Cary, NC

That salad sounds wonderful!

It's chilly and raining here, so I'm going with curried chickpeas and tomatoes simmered with chicken thighs. We'll have it over brown rice w/some farmer's market asparagus.

chefbear · Joined: 12 Nov 2007 Posts: 200 Location: New Park, Pa

Kell, did you make the dressing?? If so, would you please share?

ninjabut · Joined: 12 Nov 2007 Posts: 836 Location: No CA USDA zone 8

It's a bit breezy for grilling tonight, but it's supposed to be warming up by the weekend!
I think I'll bread some cod and bake it. Some green and white asparagus (on sale for .99 per lb!) and maybe a baby red tater or some rice. Not sure yet. NT

Reluctant Gourmet · Posted: Tue May 12, 2009 5:49 am Post subject:

We had an eggplant we had to use so I sliced it, grilled it and finished it in the oven with tomato sauce and grated mozzarella cheese. Delicious. Served with grilled zucchini and asparagus.

ninjabut · Joined: 12 Nov 2007 Posts: 836 Location: No CA USDA zone 8

Well, I wasn't fond of the white asparagus AT ALL!!!!!
You got about a bite into it and it was very stringy and not as much flavor as the green. I won't be buying it again. The last time it was dried out!

Dilbert · Joined: 12 Mar 2008 Posts: 325

seems you've got a not-so-hot green grocer.

there is little, if any, texture difference white to green - was it imported from South America?

ninjabut · Joined: 12 Nov 2007 Posts: 836 Location: No CA USDA zone 8

It was just from Slaveway. Saw it on sale and had to try it.
The last time I tried it was from the chi chi store I work at with my spec ed students. That was dried out and yukky also. That is from an organic chi chi place!
Just bad luck I suppose.
If they taste the same, why pay so much more for the white stuff?
Well, I tried it, wasn't impressed, got that out of my system! What's next????? LOL

Dilbert · Joined: 12 Mar 2008 Posts: 325

the taste is not identical - blindfolded you'd say "that's asparagus, but different...."

the texture is the same -

interesting on the cost issue - our local Giant has white & green, price is same, either one!

it's usually labeled "Product of Peru" but sometimes another South American origin - I've never seen "Grown in USA"

it does sound like you've had a run of bad luck on it - freshness is judged the same as for green - plump tight tips, no wrinkles/prune skin, cut ends should still have a round freshly cut appearance, no shriveling, flexible but not rubbery.

kell · Joined: 17 Nov 2007 Posts: 473 Location: NWND

Chefbear, here is the salad recipe. I also posted it under fave recipes.

2 c. real mayo
2/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. light cream
1/3 c. raspberry viniagarette
2 Tb. poppy seeds
3 Tb. raspberry jam

Blend everything except seeds ... stir in seeds after everything else is well blended (hand held blender works great.) This makes a big bunch, but it does keep for a couple of weeks. I normally make a half recipe, but go a bit heavier than half with the viniagarette and jam. I know how cooks like to taste, so I feel compelled to say at this point that this dressing tastes much better on the salad than it does when you just make it.

Lettuce, chopped or torn (I like romaine, but any kind will work)
Sliced strawberries
Thinly sliced red onion
Slivered almonds.