1282. How to Prepare Asparagus for Cooking. — Select the asparagus of even size if possible, remove the buds with a sharp- pointed knife, and scrape or peel thinly each shoot from the tips downwards ; cut the stem ends so that they are all of equal length, and put them into a pan of cold water. Carefully wash and strain them, and tie with small bundles of about twelve to fifteen in a bundle. Cut off the bottoms. Keep them in water or in the ice till wanted. Boil in slightly salted water, containing a little lemon-juice, till the soft parts are tender. When once cooked, asparagus should not be left standing in water, as it is apt to turn sour in a very short time- The pan in which asparagus is cooked must be large enough to hold it, and the water must be sufficient to well cover it, and must be boiling before the asparagus is put in. Asparagus usually take from twenty- five to thirty minutes to cook. 1283. Asperges a la Ho llandaise . — Prepare and boil the asparagus in the usual way, drain and dish up, and serve them with Hollandaise sauce (No. 208). This may, if liked, be poured over the tips, but it is best handed round in a sauce-boat. 1284. Asperges a I’Indienne. — Cook the asparagus in the usual way, and serve it with a well made mild curry sauce (No. 261). Dress the asparagus on a dish (hot), pour over the sauce, and serve. 1285. Asperges d la Vinaigrette. — Cook the asparagus in water, place it on a sieve, and let it get cold. Dish up and put the dish on the ice till wanted. Serve with a vinaigrette sauce, com- posed of 3 tablespoonfuls of best olive oil, 1 tablespoonful of best French tarragon vinegar, 1 teaspoonful of chilli vinegar, 1 teaspoonful of finely chopped parsley, chervil, and tarragon, 1 teaspoonful of finely chopped gherkins. Season with salt and pepper✪ Asperges d la Vinaigrette, mix well, and use as directed. 1286. Asperges an Peurre fondu {Asparagus with Melted Butter). — Prepare the asparagus as usual, and boil in salted water till tender ; take up, place them on a sieve to drain, and dish up on a piece of toasted bread, place on folded napkin and dish. Serve with a boat of oiled butter. 1287. Croquettes de Point es d’ Asperges {Asparagus Croquettes). — Cook a pint of asparagus points in salted water till tender, then drain. Put two tablespoonfuls of well reduced Allemande sauce (No. 204) in a stewpan, add half a gill of cream, and allow to get thoroughly hot ; incorporate three yolks of eggs, add the asparagus points, season with pepper and grated nutmeg. Cook till the liaison is formed, then spread on to a plate and let cool. Shape into cro- VEGETABLES ( LEGUMES) PLAIN AND DBESSED 443 •quettes of even size, egg and crumb them, and fry in hot fat a golden colour. Take up, drain, dish up, and serve hot. 1288. Asperges a la Alilana ise.— Dress the cooked asparagus, after being well drained, on toasted bread, on a dish. Arrange them so that all the heads are at one end. Cover the head portions with grated Parmesan cheese mixed with an equal quantity of Gruyere. Melt some fresh butter, season it with salt and pepper, pour this over the cheese-covered part of the asparagus. Place the dish in the oven for a few seconds to take colour, and serve at once.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

1282. How to Prepare Asparagus for Cooking. — Select the asparagus of even size if possible, remove the buds with a sharp-pointed knife, and scrape or peel thinly each shoot from the tips downwards ; cut the stem ends so that they are all of equal length, and put them into a pan of cold water. Carefully wash and strain them, and tie with small bundles of about twelve to fifteen in a bundle. Cut off the bottoms. Keep them in water or in the ice till wanted. Boil in slightly salted water, containing a little lemon-juice, till the soft parts are tender. When once cooked, asparagus should not be left standing in water, as it is apt to turn sour in a very short time- The pan in which asparagus is cooked must be large enough to hold it, and the water must be sufficient to well cover it, and must be boiling before the asparagus is put in. Asparagus usually take from twentyfive to thirty minutes to cook. 1283. Asperges a la Hollandaise . — Prepare and boil the asparagus in the usual way, drain and dish up, and serve them with Hollandaise sauce (No. 208). This may, if liked, be poured over the tips, but it is best handed round in a sauce-boat. 1284. Asperges a l'Indienne. — Cook the asparagus in the usual way, and serve it with a well made mild curry sauce (No. 261). Dress the asparagus on a dish (hot), pour over the sauce, and serve. 1285. Asperges d la Vinaigrette. — Cook the asparagus in water, place it on a sieve, and let it get cold. Dish up and put the dish on the ice till wanted. Serve with a vinaigrette sauce, composed of 3 tablespoonfuls of best olive oil, 1 tablespoonful of best French tarragon vinegar, 1 teaspoonful of chilli vinegar, 1 teaspoonful of finely chopped parsley, chervil, and tarragon, 1 teaspoonful of finely chopped gherkins. Season with salt and pepper, mix well, and use as directed. 1286. Asperges au Beurre fondu {Asparagus with Melted Butter). — Prepare the asparagus as usual, and boil in salted water till tender ; take up, place them on a sieve to drain, and dish up on a piece of toasted bread, place on folded napkin and dish. Serve with a boat of oiled butter. 1287. Croquettes de Point es d’ Asperges {Asparagus Croquettes). — Cook a pint of asparagus points in salted water till tender, then drain. Put two tablespoonfuls of well reduced Allemande sauce (No. 204) in a stewpan, add half a gill of cream, and allow to get thoroughly hot ; incorporate three yolks of eggs, add the asparagus points, season with pepper and grated nutmeg. Cook till the liaison is formed, then spread on to a plate and let cool. Shape into cro- •quettes of even size, egg and crumb them, and fry in hot fat a golden colour. Take up, drain, dish up, and serve hot. 1288. Asperges a la Milanaise.— Dress the cooked asparagus, after being well drained, on toasted bread, on a dish. Arrange them so that all the heads are at one end. Cover the head portions with grated Parmesan cheese mixed with an equal quantity of Gruyere. Melt some fresh butter, season it with salt and pepper, pour this over the cheese-covered part of the asparagus. Place the dish in the oven for a few seconds to take colour, and serve at once.

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Asperges d la Vinaigrette

The new century cookery book