Part 4

The after culture of asparagus is not difficult. The beds should be kept weeded; the hand fork and hand weeding are preferable to using a hoe to cut the plants as well as the weeds. In the autumn the beds should be cleaned up and the stems cut down to within six inches of the soil, the top two inches of earth should be removed to the alleys, and a good mulch of fat manure spread over the bed.

In February the long straw and debris of this mulch should be raked off, and the earth returned from the alleys; at the same time a top-dressing of two ounces superphosphate of lime and of four ounces of kainit per square yard should be applied. About mid-March give a top-dressing of half an ounce of nitrate of soda per square yard, and repeat this dose every fortnight till the end of May, always selecting showery days, or if these are not to be found, give a thorough watering with the hose after the application.

The bed should not be cut from for two seasons; thereafter it maybe cut until mid-June. It is better not to allow the plants to develop seed, as it will weaken the plants, and it is important not to disturb the earth in the alleyways too deeply, as the plants will send their roots right out into them. For the first two years radishes, lettuce, or even spinach may be grown in them, but for the first two years only.

=Forcing Asparagus.=--Where there is sufficient space and labour it is not difficult to obtain a winter supply of this delicious vegetable. But as the plants can only be forced once, and then must be thrown away, it is necessary to devote a special bed to growing forcing plants. A quarter of the area of the bed must be sown yearly, thus providing for one, two, three, and four-year-old plants. Seed should be sown in early April, in rows two feet apart, and the plants should be left two feet in the rows. The general treatment is much as given above, except that the spring top-dressing of nitrate of soda must be limited to two applications, one in April, one in May.

Beginning in November, prepare a hotbed as for cucumbers with about three feet of fermenting material; when the heat is mild and even, spread three inches of light soil on top, lift the four-year-old plants, a few at a time, very carefully, and pack them into the frame as close as possible. Cover with four inches of light soil, and give a good watering with tepid water. Admit some air on mild days by lifting the back of the light; if there be frost, cover with mats. Do not over-water the frame, but do not let it get really dry. If the heat dies away too soon, line with hot manure round the frame. Extra care will have to be exercised in cutting the heads; in fact the best way is to remove the soil and break them off with the fingers. A frame so treated will yield asparagus for about four weeks, and when the asparagus is out of the way will grow early radishes, lettuce, and carrots.

ITALIAN DISHES.

=Plain Asparagus.=--Take a bundle of asparagus, scrape the white of each stalk lightly, put them in cold water. Then tie them in bundles of twenty-five, or, if very large, of twelve or fifteen, keep the heads together, and keep the ends of one length. Cook them quickly for fifteen minutes in two quarts of boiling water, in which one ounce of salt has been put. Dish up on a piece of toast and serve very hot with oiled fresh butter (not sauce) or Dutch sauce.

=Dutch Sauce.=--Rub four ounces of butter to a cream in a saucepan or bowl, add four yolks of eggs, beat well together and put in half a teaspoonful of salt, the juice of half a lemon, a pinch of Cayenne, and a cupful of hot water, poured in by degrees, mix well, and put in a “bain-marie.” Stir until the sauce becomes of the consistency of thick cream. Be careful it does not boil, or it will curdle. Take it off the fire and stir for some minutes. Dutch sauce ought to be quite smooth and creamy. Half these quantities of butter and eggs would make an excellent dish.

=Asparagus à l’Espagnolle.=--Cut off the green heads of a bunch of asparagus and wash well, boil for fifteen minutes in salted boiling water, strain carefully. Put in a saucepan two ounces of butter, stir in one good tablespoonful of flour, add half a pint of cream or milk, and a little pepper and salt. Stir carefully, let it boil for three minutes, add the asparagus heads and serve very hot.

=Asparagus à la Suprême.=--Choose asparagus of about the same size, break off the tenderest part with your finger and cut into small bits, cooking the tips last. Put them into salted boiling water, boil for fifteen minutes, then drain, and place in a baking pan with a little melted fresh butter. Put on the fire for a few minutes, add some salt and lemon juice. Serve hot.

=Asparagus à la Pompadour.=--Cut cleaned asparagus into two-inch lengths, boil until tender in salted water, and drain. Bring to the boil two tablespoonfuls of vinegar and one tablespoonful of butter, salt and pepper to season. When boiling, take from the fire, add the well-beaten yolk of an egg, pour over the asparagus, and serve.

=Asparagus Soufflé.=--Take some asparagus (previously boiled) and rub it through a sieve. Add the yolks of three well-beaten eggs and three tablespoonfuls of milk, with pepper and salt to taste. Beat the whites to a stiff froth, mix in, add the asparagus purée, and put in buttered soufflé dishes and bake for ten minutes. This makes a tasty course for a luncheon or dinner.

=Asparagus Omelette.=--Beat six eggs, whites and yolks separately, add three tablespoonfuls of cream or milk, cut the green part of thirty-six heads of asparagus (which have been previously boiled) in small pieces, mix with the eggs, add a spoonful of grated Parmesan cheese, pepper, and cook in an omelette pan in which an ounce of butter has been dissolved. Serve very hot.

=Asparagus Omelette (2).=--Break four eggs into a bowl and beat until light and foamy without separating whites and yolks. Add four tablespoonfuls of cream or rich milk, a saltspoonful of salt, and a dash of pepper. Have a smooth, clean omelette pan ready, and melt a tablespoonful of butter or vegetable oil in it, tilting it so that it will run all over the pan to grease the sides as well as the bottom. When hissing hot pour in the egg mixture. As it cools, prick in several places with a fork until the whole is of a creamy consistency. Have in readiness several spoonfuls of cooked asparagus points, mixed with a little melted butter, a few drops of lemon juice, and a tablespoonful of chopped parsley. Slip the omelette on to a sheet of kitchen paper on a hot dish, put on one half the asparagus tips, fold over, and slip off the paper on to a hot dish and send to table quickly; nothing spoils so quickly as an omelette. Three minutes waste of time makes it as tough as leather. If liked, the edges of the omelette may be garnished with more asparagus tips.

=Asparagus Mould.=--Well butter a pudding mould, put in a layer of the tender part of cooked asparagus cut up small, next a layer of cooked green peas, then two hard-boiled eggs cut in slices, another layer of asparagus, and lastly of peas. Beat up three eggs, stir in two ounces of flour rolled in one ounce of butter, add a cupful of milk, stirring all the time, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour the mixture into the mould, cover with buttered paper, steam for two hours, turn out on to a hot dish, and serve with white sauce round it.

=Aspérge à la Mousseline.=--Place cooked and well-drained asparagus on square or diamond slices of toast; keep hot. Prepare a sauce beforehand by heating two ounces of butter with the yolks of four eggs, and two tablespoonfuls of lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Cook in a double pan until it thickens, then add two tablespoonfuls of butter in small pieces, and two tablespoonfuls of cream or a little more. Pour very hot over the asparagus and toast. Serve immediately.

=Baked Asparagus.=--Cook the asparagus in boiling salted water until tender, drain, and put into a buttered baking dish with a little grated Parmesan cheese between the layers. Chop a small onion finely and fry in butter, and spread over the asparagus, and sprinkle with cheese and crumbs, and brown in a hot oven.

=Asparagus Baked with Cheese.=--Prepare according to directions given for boiled asparagus. Make a sauce of three tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour, one cupful of water and half a cupful of cream or milk, let it boil for three minutes, add the yolks of two eggs, and two tablespoonfuls of grated cheese. Heat thoroughly but do not boil. Lay the asparagus full length into an oval buttered baking dish, cover with the sauce, and sprinkle with cheese. Repeat until the dish is full, having sauce on the top. Sprinkle with crumbs and cheese, dot with butter, and bake for half an hour.

=Asparagus Tips à la Polonaise.=--Clean and cut some asparagus three or four inches long, season with salt and pepper, and put them in a buttered paper bag with a teaspoonful of fried bread-crumbs and a little melted butter. Close the bag and cook in a moderate oven for half an hour.--Newark News.

=Asparagus “Alla Casalinga.”=--Take fifty heads of asparagus and cook the green part in boiling salted water, then drain and put the asparagus into a baking dish with four ounces of butter (or two ounces would suffice). Sprinkle with grated cheese, salt and pepper to taste, brown slightly, garnish with eggs fried in butter. Serve hot.--Mrs. ROSS, Leaves from a Tuscan Kitchen.

=Asparagus “Alla Crema.”=--Take the heads only of the asparagus, as many as are required; put them into boiling water with a little salt; boil for fifteen minutes. Prepare meanwhile some thick squares of roll or white bread without the crust, scoop out the centre of each piece without breaking through, and put in a piece of butter, then fry or bake until the bread turns a golden-yellow colour. After draining the heads of the asparagus, place them in the holes in the bread. Take care to keep them hot. Then heat half a pint of milk and two or three yolks of eggs, and stir until it thickens to a smooth custard, but it must not boil. Take off the fire, and add a little butter and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Pour over the asparagus and croûtons, and serve very hot.--Mrs. ROSS, Leaves from a Tuscan Kitchen.

=Baked Asparagus with Eggs.=--Cut the tender parts of the asparagus into half-inch lengths, boil until tender in salted water. Drain, and mix with a drawn-butter sauce, seasoning with salt and pepper, and pour into a buttered baking dish. Break five or six eggs carefully on the surface, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and put into the oven until the eggs have set.

=Asparagus Tips Sauté.=--Boil the tips until cooked, about fifteen minutes, in salted water, then drain them thoroughly. Sauté in melted butter, season with salt and pepper, grated nutmeg, and a little sugar.

=Creamed Asparagus.=--Boil the green parts of the asparagus until tender in salted water with a tiny bit of soda, drain and chop. Reheat in cream sauce. Season with salt and pepper, and cool; stir into it three eggs, well beaten, with two tablespoonfuls of cream. Pour into a buttered baking dish, cover, and bake for twenty minutes, but do not let it boil; then uncover and brown.

=Crême Asparagus.=--Cut the heads of the asparagus into two-inch lengths. Parboil for ten minutes in salted water and drain. Put a heaped tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan, when hot sprinkle with a tablespoonful of flour, add a cupful of boiling milk, salt and pepper to season; cook until thick, stirring all the time.

=Asparagus with Egg Sauce.=--Cook three cupfuls of asparagus tips until tender, and drain. Reheat one cupful of cream sauce, put the rest into a well-buttered baking dish, pour over the asparagus, and set the dish in a pan of boiling water, and put into the oven for fifteen minutes. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve with egg sauce.

=Escalloped Asparagus.=--Wash and cut up a bunch of asparagus, discarding the tough ends. Boil in salted water about twenty minutes until tender, and drain. Boil three eggs hard, throw into cold water, remove the shells, and chop finely. Butter a shallow baking dish, and put in a layer of asparagus, covered with chopped eggs, sprinkle with grated cheese, repeat until the dish is full, having asparagus on the top. Pour over four tablespoonfuls of drawn butter or half a pint of cream sauce, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, sprinkle with grated cheese, and bake until brown.

=Asparagus Fricassée.=--Clean and cut up twenty-five stalks of asparagus, discarding the tough ends, drain and chop one head of lettuce, half a head of endive, and a small onion. Put a heaped tablespoonful of butter into a saucepan and cook in it a tablespoonful of flour, add one cupful of milk or water, and stir until it thickens. Stir constantly, add the chopped vegetables, with salt and pepper to season; simmer over a slow fire for half an hour, and serve very hot.