774. Asparagus

Let the stalks be lightly but well scraped, and as they are done be thrown into cold water; when all are finished fasten them into bundles of equal size; put them into boiling water, throw in a handful of salt, boil until the end of the stalk becomes tender, it will be about half an hour; cut a round of bread and toast it a clear brown, moisten it with the water in which the asparagus was boiled, and arrange the stalks with the white end outwards. A good melted butter must accompany it to table.

Asparagus should be dressed as soon after it has been cut as practicable.

775. Asparagus En Croustade

Mix up the yolks of four eggs in some paste a. nouille, then form it into an under crust, cut it into a band nineteen inches long, and two inches and a quarter wide. With the cuttings of your paste form a round six inches in diameter, and around this put your band in form of a croustade, pinch up your paste into proper shape, and ornament it lightly round; gild it, and put it to dry in a slow oven; this done, take a fine head of asparagus, and place it standing ugright in the middle of your croustade, surround this with six more heads of asparagus, nine inches in length; surround these with twelve more, eight inches in length; round these put seventeen more, seven inches in length; add two more rounds of asparagus, the one six inches in length, the other five inches in length.

Great attention should be paid to the boiling of asparagus for this entremet, as it should be of a nice green colour, and the moment it is sufficiently boiled, which is when it becomes firm, it should be put into cold water to cool it.

This is an extremely pretty and ornamental way of serving this vegetable cold. It should be eaten with oil.

776. Asparagus Forced

Scoop out the crumb of three or four French rolls, preserving the piece cut from the top, which will have to be fitted on to the part it was cut from; put into a pan with some fresh butter, the rolls, and fry them brown, beat up with a pint of cream, the yolks of six eggs, flavour with some grated nutmeg and a little salt, put it into a stew-pan, and over a slow fire, let it gradually thicken, stirring it all the time.

Have ready the tops of a bundle of asparagus, say a hundred, and having boiled them tender put them into the cream and fill the rolls with the mixture, reserving a few tops to stick in each roll by way of garnish.

Take some asparagus, break them in pieces; then boil them soft and drain the water off, take a little oil, water, and vinegar, let it boil, season it with pepper and salt, throw in the asparagus, and thicken with the white of eggs.

Endive, done this way, is good; green peas, done as above, are very good, only add a lettuce cut small and two or three onions, and leave out the eggs.

778. Asperge A La Pois. - French Receipt

When asparagus is first in season, and too small to make a handsome appearance, this mode of dressing it is very good; take the asparagus and cut off only the green heads, none of the white stalk must be retained, put them into clear cold water, and when clean pop them into boiling water, in which salt has been thrown; in ten minutes they will be tender; they may then be, taken out and laid upon a white cloth, which must be used to wipe them dry, lay in a stewpan a slice of butter, when it is melted put in. the asparagus, stew them over a quick fire, keep them turning, when ten minutes have elapsed, dredge a little flour and a small quantity of white sugar in powder over them; beat up the yolks of a couple of eggs, pour over the asparagus just sufficient water to cover them, boil up rapidly, stir in the yolk of one egg, and making a pyramid of the asparagus in the dish, serve very hot.

779. Angelica

When the stalks are tender cut them in lengths of three or four inches, boil them well in a very little water, keep them covered, then take them up and peel them, and boil again until a nice green, take them up on a cloth to dry, lay them in an earthen pan, adding to every pound of stalks a pound of sifted sugar, let it lie for several days, and then boil the angelica until very green, take it up on your sieve to drain, then sift well over, it some fine pounded sugar, lay it in the sun or in your hot closet to dry if for candying.