Asparagus, a perky, early spring crop, is showing up in local grocery stores and on restaurant menus. I had a fabulous dish at Thai House Restaurant yesterday showcasing this delicate and unique vegetable – super-thin asparagus with fat prawns and tender chunks of chicken, bathed in a feisty green curry coconut sauce enlivened with lots of fresh basil. The restaurant’s three specials of the day all featured asparagus – I guess the chef is as excited as I am that this delightful vegetable is now in season.
Fact: Did you know asparagus will grow 7″ in one day when the temperature reaches 90 degrees? It’s true, according to the California Asparagus Commission, who also points out that the vegetable (which is the growing shoot of a perennial plant) is an “excellent source of folic acid and…a fairly significant source of vitamin C, thiamin, and vitamin B6.”
Thai House Restaurant: 527 A Munroe Street, Sacramento, (916) 485-3888; www.sacthaihouse.com
California Asparagus Commission: www.calasparagus.com
