Antique asparagus recipes from Eliza R. Parker in April 1894
Among the early spring vegetables, asparagus may be regarded as the most wholesome and delicious, yet few housekeepers understand the art of serving it with variety. The following recipe will be useful for such:
Stewed Asparagus - Wash the asparagus, cut in pieces, reject the tough ends. Put in a saucepan, cover with boiling water, let boil half an hour and drain. Return to the saucepan with half a pint of cream, a tablespoonful of butter and a little salt and pepper; let come to a boil, take up and serve.
Boiled Asparagus - Wash several bunches of asparagus in cold water and cut off the tough ends. Scrape and put in cold water to soak for half an hour. Put into a kettle of boiling water, to which add a teaspoonful of salt, and let boil twenty minutes. When done, take up, drain and arrange on squares of buttered toast; pour over cream sauce and serve hot.
Asparagus in Ambush - Wash a quart of asparagus tops and boil for fifteen minutes. Take a dozen stale, light rolls, cut off the tops and take out the crumb; put in a pan and set in the oven to dry. Put a pint of milk on to boil. Beat four eggs and stir in the boiling milk, add a tablespoonful of butter rolled in flour, season with salt and pepper and take from the fire; chop the asparagus tops and add them to the milk. Fill the rolls with the mixture, put on the top crusts and serve hot.
Fried Asparagus - Cut the tops from asparagus stalks, put in boiling water, and cook until tender; drain and mix in thick egg batter, season with salt and pepper, drop in spoonfuls in boiling lard, fry brown on each side and serve very hot.
Asparagus Soup - Wash a bunch of asparagus, tie, put in a saucepan, cover with boiling water and let boil for half an hour. Take from the fire, drain and cut off the tops. Put a quart of milk on to boil. Rub the asparagus stalks through a colander and add them to the milk. Thicken with a tablespoonful of butter rolled flour and stir for five minutes over the fire. Add the asparagus tops, season with salt and pepper and serve.
Asparagus Salad - Boil a quart of asparagus tops in salt water for fifteen minutes, drain, throw in ice water and let stand until needed. When ready to serve, drain, wipe on a soft towel, put in a salad bowl, pour over a teacupful of French dressing, stand on ice ten minutes and serve.
