•To make the dressing, mix
the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and whisk well.
•If you are using an
organic pumpkin such as a red kuri or Hokkaido you won’t need to peel the
outside, just clean it well. Otherwise, cut a slice from the pumpkin. Remove
the seeds and inner strings, and peel the outside off.
•Grate or julienne the
pumpkin in fine pieces.
•Peel and grate the apple.
•Mix the apple and pumpkin
together and pour some of the dressing over (enough to moisten but not to
become too wet and soggy).
•Add the raisins and walnut
pieces and mix again. If more dressing is needed, add.
•Clean the Belgian endive,
slice the bottom end off and remove the individual leaves to have little “boats
or canoes”.
•Clean the radicchio and
remove 2 or 3 leaves, depending on the size, slice the leaves in half so they
are about the same size as the Belgian endive.
•Fill each leaf with a
tablespoon of the salad.
Serve with the rest of the dressing on the side
for individuals to help themselves.
Asparagus is in season now! So I made some research about this slim vegetables, and I found a nice article at 'Healthy Eating Made Easy' and an other at 'Local Foods' sites. Let me share it with you.
Asparagus is harvested from March through June, depending on your region. Early in the season spears may be as thin as pencils; towards the end of the season fatter, meatier spears become available. Note that thickness in no way indicates tenderness, which is related to how the plant is grown and how soon it is eaten after harvest rather than spear size. Poorly or long-stored thin asparagus can be tough and flavorless; fresh, fat spears can be remarkably sweet and tender.
Asparagus is a good source of folic acid – vital for pregnant women – potassium, and vitamins A and C.
Buying Asparagus
Buy asparagus as soon as possible after it is harvested. Farmers markets and stores that buy from local growers are your best bets for extra tender specimens. Look for smooth skin, bright green color, compact heads, and freshly cut ends.
Storing Asparagus
Some people recommend storing asparagus as you would flowers - in a vase of water. That's not always practical, and storing them in a loosely wrapped plastic bag in the crisper works fine, too. Just remember: the sooner you eat it, the better the flavor.
Preparing Asparagus
Whether thin or fat, you will need to trim the asparagus before cooking. The fastest and easiest way is to hold the ends and bend the spear until it breaks somewhere in the middle — everything from the middle up will be tender enough to eat easily. For less waste and a more elegant presentation of fatter spears, try peeling asparagus.
Cooking Asparagus
Asparagus can be cooked many ways — roasted, grilled, steamed, boiled, fried — and how to prepare it depends as much on your taste as the asparagus. Generally speaking, though, thinner spears are better for roasting, grilling, stir-frying, tossing with pasta, and even eating raw in salads. Thicker asparagus is traditionally left whole, so its tender, meaty texture can be appreciated. Try it steamed with butter or hollandaise sauce, or blanched and chilled with a vinaigrette or other dressing. The first asparagus of the season? Try it lightly steamed with a squirt of lemon. Taste that? It's spring.
How to steam asparagus
Steaming asparagus is a better option. Use a steamer, place the prepared stems in the top with boiling water below and steam until tender, 5-15 minutes depending on size.
How to cook asparagus: grilled asparagus recipe
Grilled asparagus is delicious, as the direct heat really brings out the flavour. Heat the grill, brush the prepared asparagus lightly with oil and grill, turning, until the stems are tender and beginning to show brown. You can use this method with a BBQ grill, or using the grill/broiler in your oven.
Serving asparagus
The healthiest way to enjoy fresh asparagus is just at it comes, 6-8 spears per person, with a light drizzle of olive oil or melted organic butter and a dash of balsamic vinegar or lemon juice. Fresh asparagus is also delicious topped with a poached egg, and is great in recipes for stir fries, salads, soups and quiches.
Ingredients:
