Did you know that in North Carolina our growing season is year-long? Fresh, local and great tasting local produce is always available at farmers markets, grocery stores and restaurants. Use this handy chart to discover What’s in Season in North Carolina.
Fresh asparagus has a short but eagerly anticipated season. Asparagus plants are perennials and during the growing season, asparagus stalks can grow 8 inches in one day. If you are buying your asparagus at the market, store it in standing up in the refrigerator in an inch of water, or wrap a wet paper towel around the ends.
Below is a Local Dish recipe from 2010 that has asparagus as the star ingredient. This dish features just a handful of ingredients, and, if you are headed to a family event, it transports easily. A suggestion would be to add a little melted butter to the crackers and top with crumbled bacon.
Elizabeth’s Asparagus Casserole
- 3 pounds of fresh asparagus tips (or 3 cans of asparagus drained)
- 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
- 2 hardboiled eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 sleeve of Ritz crackers
- 2 cups shredded cheddar
Cover the bottom of a casserole dish with the asparagus. Mix the milk and soup together and pour over the asparagus. Dice the hard boiled eggs and layer them over the soup. Crush the crackers and cover the casserole with them. Top with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
For more delicious recipes using asparagus visit gottobenc.com and click on Local Dish.