Asparagus
A historical recipe from The Skilful Cook A Practical Manual of Modern Experience, by Mary Harrison (1905).
A historical recipe
The Skilful Cook A Practical Manual of Modern Experience, by Mary Harrison (1905). Project Gutenberg eBook #29007.
From an old book: a historical recipe, not current advice. Its methods, additives and storage may be unsafe by today's standards.
Ingredients 2 ingredients
Cook safely
Keep children and pets away from the hob and the oven, and keep oven gloves and a lid within reach.
- Boiling water and steam. Turn pan handles inward, away from the edge of the hob. Lift lids away from you, and pour hot water away from your body: steam burns too.
- Sharp knives. Cut on a board that doesn't slip (a damp cloth under it helps), and curl the fingers of the hand that holds the food.
Method
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- Cut the asparagus all the same length, and scrape the white part lightly.
- Tie it together and put it in boiling water, to which salt has been added, in the proportion of one tablespoonful to two quarts of water.
- Add also half an ounce of butter.
- Boil gently with the lid off the saucepan for half an hour, until the green part is tender--very young asparagus will not take so long.
- Dish on toast;
- if liked, French or white sauce may be poured over the green ends.
Plating
Cookware for this recipe
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Saucepan
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Chef's knife