Comments on: Friday Fuck-Ups: Asparagus Disaster

By: Fix the Fuck Up: Asparagus Tamed | Endless Simmer - A Food Blog

Fix the Fuck Up: Asparagus Tamed | Endless Simmer - A Food Blog — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:25:08 +0000

[...] one was all you, ES-ers! I had no idea why my Fine Cooking-inspired asparagus pasta strands were such a horrible, ugly, falling-apart [...]

By: My Growing Cake Problem « a measured memory

My Growing Cake Problem « a measured memory — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 20:08:00 +0000

[...] So, I’d like to thank my wonderful neighbor Emily for pushing me to venture outside my comfort zone and deal with the elephant in my kitchen. This weekend served as a reminder that there is little to be learned from playing it safe and much to be gained in testing your own limits. Plus, if all else fails, I can always submit the hilarious photos and play-by-play recap here. [...]

By: OMGYeahYouKnowMe

OMGYeahYouKnowMe — Sun, 24 May 2009 11:52:14 +0000

Well, you inspired me to try this dish yesterday, peeling the bases of raw asparugus and throwing them in with saw noodles for 2 minutes of cooking, then mixing in sauteed asparagus tips. it was beautiful and tasty, came out just perfect. I think I fixed your fuck up!

By: Gourmet Diet

Gourmet Diet — Sat, 23 May 2009 07:41:06 +0000

Add the asparagus, reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer until just tender, 7 or 8 minutes. Gourmet Diet

By: MonkeyBoy

MonkeyBoy — Sat, 23 May 2009 00:10:50 +0000

1) @Christy – i agree… but if you’re gonna ask BS how “thick and woody his stalk is” you need to run that by Alex first

2) I planted asparagus this year so I’ll try this once I harvest any. Of course, since it takes a year or two to get anything don’t hold your breath. Says less about my patience than it does about uninformed enthusiasm and online nurseries selling asparagus crowns.

3) @Maids – Completely agree about the PA ad. On a naughty food blog like ES I would at least expect a combination of her first “home video” and whatever PETA brainwashing she’s doing now.

By: C. Christy Concrete

C. Christy Concrete — Fri, 22 May 2009 16:54:39 +0000

I second Linnea’s suggestion to peel them raw. Then again, it also might depend on how thick and woody your asparagus is. If they’re early-season little buggers and too flimsy and tender, it might not work; but big honkin’ mid-season mothers might be easier to handle.

We should have a recurring feature for food mag reviews, if we don’t already.

By: Linnea Covington

Linnea Covington — Fri, 22 May 2009 16:42:04 +0000

I think you did steam them too long. I would just trying peeling them first, while they have some girth, otherwise it seems they would just turn to mush.

By: Bliz

Bliz — Fri, 22 May 2009 16:34:57 +0000

The thing I don’t get here is why the recipe calls for steaming then peeling. Doesn’t it make more sense to peel first? This is why we need a blog community, fucking recipe mags as so inconsistent!

I’ve done a variation of a dish like this before and it came out great, but I don’t even remember cooking the ‘gus. I think I just tossed the peeled with the pasta and sauce and let the residual heat do the work. At most, a 5-10 second blanch to brighten the colors and season is the only work I’d do before adding to the pasta.

Sucks a sexy dish like that didn’t come out right, def worth a 2nd attempt.

By: Maids

Maids — Fri, 22 May 2009 16:24:32 +0000

those shaved stalks are as ugly as the PETA ad in the sidebar that features PA’s massive mammary.