I was inspired by this idea to make penne with cannellini beans, broiled asparagus and a cilantro gremolata. It was good, but too dry. Needs more gremolata!
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White asparagus is also very expensive where I live in Southern Md.
I bought some , Had a little bit left, so I made stir fry filet mignon, szechuan style using snow peas, red pepper, garlic, ginger
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My own asparagus cooking has been, with one exception (to be posted below), pretty ordinary. I think of it (asparagus) as an extraordinary ingredient (especially in the spring), and I try to to mess it up as little as possible. I steam it, or pan-roast it, or grill it. If very young and tender, I shave it raw. I do think (as others have posted above) that it’s a great companion to eggs. Here’s a breakfast from the past (there are grilled tomatoes in the picture, and store-bought methi (fenugreek) parathas):
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I don’t know if my handle gives it away, but I like to dabble. Some of my dabblings have been in old food. No, not the stuff that’s at the back of the fridge – really old food, 2000ish years old. The recipes collected under the Apicius handle have a couple of uses of asaparagus in custardy dishes called patinas. I’ve made the one in Apicius 4.2.6, but have no pictures. Since the copyright has long expired, I’ll violate no laws by posting the recipe I used:
adicies in mortario asparagorum præcisuras quae proiciuntur; teres, suffundes uinum, colas. teres piper ligusticum coriandrum uiridem satureiam cepam uinum liquamen et oleum; sucum transferes in patellam perunctam et si uolueris oua dissolues ad ignem ut obliget. piper minutum asparges.
Simple, no?
For those who really want to know more, I used
1/2 tbsp fish sauce (sub for the liquamen)
1 tbsp olive oil
4 eggs
1/2 tbsp coarsely ground black pepper
2 bunches asparagus (the tops left whole, the bottoms blended with the onions below)
1 onion (blended with asparagus tails)
1 1/4 cups coriander leaves, chopped
1 tsp savory
150 ml white wine
Mix, and cook in a pan set in a pan of boiling water till set.
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Someone gave me a book of Michaelangelo’s favorite recipes, turns out he was a gourmet cook as well as everything else. The one I made so far was stewed fennel, which involves anchovy and saffron among other things. Should pull it out and see if there’s anything for asparagus 
This is interesting, as I guess the ingredients undergo much changes in form and tastes from the Michaelangelo’s time.
I found the book, it’s actually all different famous Renaissance people’s recipes. I thought they’d be more plain but they had lots of interesting spices and seasonings, plus things like pancetta, raisins, nuts, juices…not exactly what I expected. Even the fact that they were eating asparagus and fennel and such back then was news to me!
I think the French started cultivating asparagus in the 15 century.
I saw some very old recipes, many vegetables of course, roots especially… they had an interesting relationship with vegetables, cereals, and cheese. Spices were used for food, but also for medical purposes.
I was really fascinated, I love going back in time but to do so in culinary terms is even more fun.
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The Roman recipe from Apicius goes back to much before the 15th century – it’s well over 1500 years old.
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You are right about the roman consuming the asparagus, actually much earlier, in the Egyptian days. After the Roman Empire ended, nobody cared anymore about the asparagus until the French monasteries started growing them again.
The main thing I know about medieval dining is from movies: the king sits at the head table and bites meat off a bone: Then washes it down with some kind of ale. Good to see that wasn’t the only thing going on at the time.
Well they are thick on the ground in some parts of the country and begging not to go to the scrapper. The Cooking with the Gas Turned Off feature is cool. I do a lot of low-and-slow.
Was thinking about doing a review post. Would be interested to hear from the OK&M and Wedgewood folks about the special features on those.
Would you be interested in reading such?
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I love this! I’ve been wanting to join a dinner club that does medieval recipes. I haven’t found any Classical Roman clubs. (My Latin is rusty, so thank you for the translation.)
ASPARAGUS RISOTTO WITH ENGLISH PEAS
I simmered the asparagus ends and pea pods to make a broth, then cooked the blanched asparagus and peas in the broth. After straining the vegetables and setting aside, I used the broth to make a basic risotto, stirring in the vegetables, lemon zest and Parmesan at the end. I used a very mild Parmesan, as I didn’t want the cheese to overpower the delicate flavors of the asparagus and peas.
This is such a classic dish. I love spring risottos.
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Can almost taste and smell this
Asparagus is boring? Not to me. I’ve NEVER met or known anyone who likes it more than I! We, a household of 2, consume between 12 and 17kg every season.
With leftover sausages in a salad!
In cream!
With beetroot marinated raw salmon!
Marinated in beetroot liquid!
Shaved and in rice paper!
Shaved and eaten alongside a meal!
Grated something salty over it!
In a risotto!
With something salty and crispy (I used Speck here)!
On toasted bread and ham!
Grated with salt-cured egg yolk!
With pistachio picada!
With sesame seeds!
http://i.imgur.com/qTYyDj4.jpg
With poached eggs!
And even kimchi!
!!! 
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Lol, asparagus is not boring! I meant my preparations tend to be plain: grilled or poached asparagus with a little olive oil and lemon, maybe a poached or hard-cooked chopped egg occasionally. 
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I love it as a sauce over pasta too (love it lots of ways but most people haven’t had it this way).
In a small amount of water:
Cut off tips and poach for a minute, save
In same water boil asparagus stalks until tender (more tender than you’d want them if eating straight)
Purée stalks in a food processor/blender/stick blender with just enough cooking water to help purée (1/4 cup to 1/2 cup)
Mix into melted butter (for a typical American bunch of asparagus I use 3/4 to 1 stick of butter - no one complains about extra butter)
Add a little salt.
Mix with pasta (again a typical American bunch of asparagus is good for about a pound of pasta).
It is great as a side or under a grilled chicken breast, shrimp - whatever. Simple easy and so tasty.
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Wow!
