Fresh ASPARAGUS w/ SWEET RED PEPPER, & FETA CHEESE

LOW CARB

Fresh ASPARAGUS w/ SWEET RED PEPPER, & FETA CHEESE

Table of Contents: VEGETABLES

When choosing asparagus, go for small stalk diameter, tight buds, all green w/ little or no yellow, unless expressly buying the more expensive white asparagus which is entirely different from the more often used green asparagus.

1 lb. small, fresh asparagus spears

Water

Salt

1 medium sweet red pepper, cut in long, thin strips

1 T. extra virgin olive oil or butter

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Crumbled Feta cheese

Prepare a bowl of ice water and place it by the kitchen sink to stop the cooking time of the asparagus.

Bend the asparagus spears until they snap naturally; then discard the tough ends.

Wash and drain asparagus spears.

In a large skillet, bring 1-inch of salted water to a boil; then place the drained asparagus spears into the boiling water.  Cover the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes or until the asparagus is just tender.  Drain immediately in a colander; then plunge into the ice water to stop the cooking.  Drain again after cooling.

Using the same skillet, heat the olive oil or butter on medium-high; then stir-fry the cooked asparagus spears and the sweet red pepper strips until the pepper strips are slightly wilted.  Taste for salt and add as needed; then sprinkle with the black pepper and stir to blend.

Place the asparagus spears & pepper strips on a warm platter and sprinkle with crumbled Feta cheese as desired.

Asparagus is an ancient vegetable that the Roman author, Cato, the Elder, wrote about in 200 B.C.   He gave amazingly accurate, detailed growing instructions that quite closely match today’s growing recommendations.

Asparagus requires a long winter resting period and the summer growing season temperature should only be about 66 to 75 degrees.

Special thanks goes to South Dakota State, their website pubstorage.sdstate.edu >, and David F. Graper & Rhoda Burrows for their article on the website.