How does one know when an ingredient such as asparagus is about to be harvested and hit the market? First, out-of-country asparagus will appear in the paper as a promotion. Then you will see asparagus recipes, asparagus sales, and articles about harvesting asparagus in the paper. And then, best of all, asparagus arrives at the farmers’ market.
Guess what? Three weeks ago I saw an asparagus promotion in the paper. I also saw recipes and articles. I had not yet seen any locally grown asparagus in the grocery stores. Then, much to my surprise, Mrs. Thao brought a few bunches of beautiful green asparagus to the Auburn farmers’ market. Those spears represent the first local harvest brought to our markets this year. They were cut 12 hours before the market opened. Can you believe that? Pencil-thin and tender, spears fresh out of the ground. Time to find my pasta with asparagus recipe. I only make it during the spring.
I love restaurants that have special dishes that appear on their menu seasonally and then suddenly disappear until the next year. This tells you that the chef respects seasonality and freshness of ingredients. It happens in Italy during truffle season and artichoke season. Chefs all over Umbria prepare truffle dishes for weeks at a time during the winter. Then, all of a sudden, the season is over and there isn’t a fresh truffle to be found anywhere. In southern Italy it is possible to eat roasted artichokes from street vendors until you don’t care if you ever see another one. Then they disappear. By next artichoke season, you’ll be looking all over for artichokes roasted on an open fire once again.
Every spring Ed and I and four of our best friends used to go (it’s been closed for years) to a small restaurant in downtown Sacramento called Americo’s. It was a hole in the wall next to a brewpub with some of the best Italian food I have eaten anywhere. Each year we would eagerly await the arrival of our favorite spring ingredient because we knew it would soon be featured on the menu. Our favorite spring ingredient, that drew us into a restaurant with such devotion? The vegetable that harkens the coming of spring here and in Italy, asparagus.
At Americo’s one could order asparagus soup, roasted asparagus, asparagus risotto, and pasta with asparagus. We tried them all, and our favorite was the pasta. The asparagus was just cooked through, tossed with some olive oil, a bit of red pepper, spring green garlic, Parmesan cheese and folded into the hot pasta. So here we go, it’s asparagus season. We’ll soon be eating the best asparagus to be found as often as we can. Remember when you see asparagus in the farmers’ market, spring is here and a new growing season is only a heat wave away.
The following recipe is my version of the pasta with asparagus from Americo’s. This recipe is very simple, fast to prepare, and brings out the best flavor from the fresh ingredients. Conventional head garlic can be substituted for the spring garlic, but it won’t be the same. Fresh and in season, asparagus and green garlic are quite a pair. Enjoy.
For all of my beloved Irish relatives — Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Carol Arnold is marketing manager of the Foothill Farmers Market Association. Reach her at foothillfarmersmarket@gmail.com.
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Springtime Asparagus and Pasta
1/2 pound farfalle or mostaccioli, cooked and drained
1 bunch spring green garlic, white and tender green parts only, sliced thinly
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound fresh asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. In a skillet heat the oil and melt the butter. Add the green garlic slices and red pepper flakes. Cook for two to three minutes, until garlic softens but doesn’t brown. Add asparagus, salt and pepper; sauté until asparagus is tender crisp, about 8 minutes. Pour over hot pasta and toss to coat. Correct seasoning. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the mixture, toss again. Serve immediately. Add cooked chicken or shrimp for a complete meal.