The Colorado statesman., 1906-06-09
NICE ASPARAGUS DISHES.
This Delicate Vegetable May Be Used
for Soup and Salad, Creamed
E. and with Eggs.

ne LduleS WOrlQ mas an lnser-
esting article by Mary Foster Snider
giving direction on how to cook aspar-
agus in different ways and make saw
ory dishes. Attention is called to the
fact that difficulty is often experienced
In properly cooking this vegetable. 1t
is suggested by this writer that if the
stalks are cut into equal length and
then stood upright in the sauce pan
after being immersed in water to two
thirds of the way to the tips so that
the latter is cooked by the steam only,
there is less danger of over cooking
the tips while the butts are not IN
derdone. A half hour cooking is SAID
to be enough by this method, unless
the butts are unusually tough. OF
course the coarse butts should always
be removed.
Asparagus Soup. = Wash large
bunch of asparagus, cut off the tips,
cover the stalks with cold water. and
boil five minutes, then drain. Then
cover with three pints of soup stock
and add third of the reserved tips.
Cook until the asparagus is soft
enough to press through a sieve or
colander, and leave only the fiber be-
hind; then return the soup and pulp
to the fire, season to taste and bring
1t TO boil; drop in the remainder of
the tips, which have been cooked
gently in another saucepan until ten
der. Heat one cupful of cream or
rich milk in another boiler, and thick
en- with two level tablespoonfuls each
nf l. III,
together; add to the soup and let boil
a few minutes longer, then serve at
once with croutons
Cream of Asparagus Soup.-Cools one
bunch of asparagus in one quart of wa
ter with sprig of onions. When the
asparagus is tender, rub all through a
sieve, MASKING and rubbing through
all tut the fber. Return the pulp and
soup to the fire, season with salt, white
pepper and celery salt, and add one
pint of milk. Let it come to boil,
thicken with one level tablespoonful
each of flour and butter rubbed smooth
ly together, and simmer ten minutes
longer.
Escalloped Asparag gus.-Boil aspara-
gus until tender, then drain, and
place layer in a buttered baking dish
which has been well sprinkled-with
bread-crumbs. Sprinkle the asparagus
with chopped hard-toiled eggs, pepper
salt and grated cheese, and proceed in
this way until "a pan is full, having the
top layer of asparagus. Pour over 1t
a cupful of thin white sauce, sprinkle
with buttered crumbs, and brown deli
cately in hot oven.
Asparagus with Eggs.-Boil aspara-
gus until tender, then place in a but
tered baking-dish; season delicately
with salt, pepper, and pinch of nut
meg. Beat the yolks of four eggs un-
til light. add two tablespoonfuls of
cream, two level teaspoonfuls of but
ter, little more seasoning, and the
whites of the eggs beaten to a froth
Pour over the asparagus, set in a hot
oven, and bake until the eggs are set.
Asparagus Salad.-Ice cooked aspar-
agus tips and mix them lightly With
finely-minced young onion. Serve ice
cold in little nests of tender lettuce
leaves with a little French dressing
poured over. A cream mayonnaise is
also delightful accompaniment, and
especially if the iced asparagus tips
are mixed with an equal amount of
iced green peas.
Chicken Asparagus Cases.-Mash one
cupful of cold cooked asparagus with
one cupful of hot mashed potatoes, adj
one-half cupful of fine dry bread
crumbs, salt and pepper to taste. and
two well-beaten eggs. Form into little
boxes or baskets, brush with soft but
ter, sprinkle well with fine bread
crumbs. and set in a hot oven until
heated through. Fill with diced creamed
chicken or veal, which has been KEEP:
hot on the top of the stove, and serve
at once. Careful handling is neces-
sary with these pretty and delicious
little cases.-Prairie Farmer.