One Reason I Like To Drink
Posted by TFG on June 24th, 2009
Interesting peeps at the boozer — one of my drinking buddies down here runs a local restaurant, and he rattled off this simple recipe for asparagus* that sounds good even to me:
Preheat oven to 350.
Mix equal parts red wine vinegar and oil (olive, salad).
Toss asparagus in mixture.
Arrange in baking dish.
Top with sea salt, cracked black pepper.
Put in oven for 30 minutes.
Notes: try adding some cheese on top of the asparagus at 20 minutes.
I’m gonna try this tonight, if I remember. The cheese is my idea, of course.
* Been thinking I might need more vegetables than what’s found on the Whataburger double-double. Crazy talk, I know.
June 24th, 2009 at 8:25 am
We do olive oil with a generous sprinkling of Cavendar’s, then grill on the indoor grill until crisp-tender. Yum. You could use a grill pan, I’m sure.
June 24th, 2009 at 8:59 am
Here’s another great way to add vegetables to your diet. Speaking of veggies, how did your container garden experiment go?
June 24th, 2009 at 9:23 am
Janis, I’ve never heard of Cavender’s. I’ll have to keep an eye peeled for it — sounds delicious. I did quit using the grill pan because it’s cast iron and so hard to clean. I should take a look at a teflon or stainless steel one, and see if that’s better.
SD, it’s a minor miracle that I’m willing to consider the asparagus. I don’t know if I’ll ever eat broccoli of my own volition. The container garden is basically a failure. One never did anything at all. The other one kept getting eaten by the deer. However, the deer are dining elsewhere, so it’s finally budding and even a little bloom I noticed the other day. Problem is, I didn’t mark them, so I don’t know what I’m getting, japs or bells. I also think it’s overcrowded but I don’t know how much to prune.
June 24th, 2009 at 9:33 am
Broccoli is a negative food group. Methinks it’s also the work of the devil. Negative foods (group) require more energy to eat and burn than caloric intake. It’s just bad.
June 24th, 2009 at 10:04 am
Brussel sprouts and cauliflower, as well. Although I hear you can boil the heck out of the cauliflower and make a passable imitation of mashed potatoes with a lot of garlic and stuff. Or maybe that’s a turnip or beets.
Can you tell I was raised on beef? Vegetables are what you eat while they’re cooking your beef.
June 24th, 2009 at 10:10 am
Broccoli is easy. Cut up the florets. Arrange in a glass bowl. Add two tablespoons of water. Two minutes in the microwave on high and sprinkle with lemon juice.
June 24th, 2009 at 10:34 am
Sure broccoli is the spawn of the devil but if you bake it with full fat ricotta cheese and a cup of parmesan, you can’t tell me you wouldn’t eat it.
Sorry to hear about the container garden, the japs should grow through the summer though so on the 50-50 shot it’s the japs, you should be golden. Throw a little osmocote on it and you’re in business.
June 24th, 2009 at 10:50 am
Dick, I’m sorry but your method seems like it would taste just like broccoli. If you maybe diced it, and sauteed it in butter, and mixed it in about a pound of velveeta and added some Rotel, I could probably use it as a dipping sauce for fried pork rinds. Otherwise, not a chance in hell.
So, yeah, I’m saying I wouldn’t eat it. I just can’t – it makes me gag to think about it. Remember, yall are talking to a guy who thinks Del Monte green beans are the height of vegetable culinary achievements. I was almost 30 before I would eat a salad. I’m not proud of this.
June 24th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Broccoli, Brussel Sprounts, Asparagus, I could live on them and them alone. AS to the asparaus, your recipte is right on, but I would grill if that option is available, got to have that char for the sweetness. Now on to the much maligned brussell sprout (or God’s popcorn). First, if you have a steamer basket, steam them until you can about get a fork through them, then split in half and saute in cast iron skillet in butter, salt and pepper until a slight char. That’s it, amazing. If available and time permitting, fry up some bacon and use that grease to saute and crumble the bacon over it, grill onions with it good too. Great with big old T-bone.
June 24th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
Broccoli,Cauliflower and Brussel sprouts are all pretty edible if you make a casserole with plenty of cheese & cracker crumbs and the appropriate seasoning.I never saw a “crisp”green bean till I was grown,Ma cooked them with slices of fat back,or cured ham till they were well done,same with greens,or blackeye peas.But I thought rice,grits,and elbow macaroni & cheese were vegetables for a long time:)
June 24th, 2009 at 8:40 pm
Boys, I don’t think I’ll ever knowingly eat a brussel sprout, no matter how they’re fixed. I’m just not prepared for that. It’s something deep in my soul. The two words make me shudder, to this day. If I even hear the words seperate, I get nervous.
Diller, I think my mama learned at the same stove on the green beans. I love going to bbq joints because theirs are the same way. Fine stuff. I’d love to learn to cook them that way, those big old flat green beans with onions and fat back and butter. Dang…there’s a vegetable for you, all you need, really.
So, that asparagus recipe turned out pretty good — the red wine vinegar gave them a good pop. I had one of those cheap supermarket ribeyes, the thin ones, that still cost $7. Not bad, kinda overcooked because of the lack of thickness, not tough, though, just not real bloody like I like them. $7 is a lot for a 1/2 thick steak, though.
June 24th, 2009 at 8:42 pm
Broccoli is delicious. So are lima beans. But asparagus, artichokes, brussel sprouts, avocados…NO WAY will they ever pass these lips. Just no.
Of course, I’ll cook stuff that I don’t like and let other people enjoy. I just won’t eat it myself.
TFG, make you a deal: you pass me your broccoli and I’ll let you have all my olives and whatever else ya want.
June 25th, 2009 at 9:46 am
If you like cabbage and turnip greens, no way you can’t love brussel sprouts. I could eat them by the pound, but they do sometimes manage to have a not so pleasant after effect. Especially for those with me in a small room or elevator. I wish I had a mess of em right now.
June 25th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
Cabbage, sometimes, turnip greens, nah. Yes, all of this has that effect on me, as well.
June 25th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
anon, you are welcome to all the brussel sprouts in the world. Brave soul.
June 27th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
Awww Yes!!
The cheese is magical…sure one of my major food groups..wish I still had asparagus..we marinate asparagus in flavored olive oil to grill…mainly flavored with thyme and lots of garlic(keeps the bugs away?)and maybe lemon pepper if you like..Awesome..