Crispy Asparagus are coated in ground pumpkin seeds and spices!

10-12 thick asparagus spears
¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds
½ t ground coriander
½ t dulse or kelp flakes
¼ t ground fennel
¼ t kosher salt
¼ t black pepper

Sauce:
1 ½ T mayonnaise or Greek yogurt
1 ½ T fresh lime juice
zest of ½ lime
2 sprigs fresh thyme

Garnish Recommendations:
1 radish
2 springs parsley, basil, sage or cilantro

Rinse, trim the bottom ½” and remove the skin from the lower third of each asparagus spear with a vegetable peeler.

Evenly coat a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of oil and place in an oven set to 350º.

Grind the pumpkin seeds into a fine powder in a coffee grinder. (Add coriander and fennel here, if spices are whole seeds.) Pour ground pumpkin seeds and the remaining spices into a rectangular baking dish at least as long as an asparagus spear and tap it to one of the longer sides. Roll each spear in the pumpkin seed and spice mixture and reserve at the empty side of the dish.

When all the spears are evenly coated, place them on the hot baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes before turning over each spear. Continue to bake for 10-15 more minutes or until the asparagus is tender and the coating is golden brown.

Zest ½ a lime in to a cup and stir in lime juice and mayo until smooth. Arrange the asparagus in a serving plate and pour a thin stream of the limo-mayo sauce over it. Sprinkle the white sauce decoratively with fresh thyme leaves and garnishes before serving.

Tip: For once, fat is better than thin!
Thin asparagus spears aren’t more tender than the big fat ones. It’s the insoluble fiber in asparagus’ skin that’s the tough part and overcooking it just makes it stringy and bitter,not more tender. Preferred are asparagus with a larger circumference. Then the ratio of tender soluble fiber beneath the skin is higher for a more chewable, flavorful experience. So go for the big ones!

Hello Cooks and welcome to the Enlightened Cook’s first blog post!!

I thought I’d kick off with something timely like Superbowl Wings!

The Wing Story

One of my dearest friends, Vicent Grupi, whose since passed on, told me he had fabulous chicken wings at a party, and he was told they were made with yogurt.  He remarked that it seemed a very strange combination, yet they were the best wings he’d ever tasted.  I wondered how anyone, especially Vinny, could get that excited about chicken wings. To me they were greasy junk food with little culinary merit. Yet somehow the thought of deriving a recipe from that one piece of information, stuck in my mind for 15 years. By then I knew marinating in yogurt was part of India’s Tandoori tradition, in which foods are slow-cooked in an oven for a long time.

Finally, when I looked down at the meat counter one day I saw a package of the plumpest wings I’d ever seen.  They were hormone/antibiotic-free, organic chicken wings and still very inexpensive, and that was a great place to start. So I decided to do what I often do when I cook; I “winged it.” I dreamed up what I thought would taste good and marinated these wings for 3 days, before bringing them raw and swimming in sauce to Candy and Will’s Labor Day BBQ. Being from Texas, Will’s a master griller and knew to cook them slowly on a cooler part of the grill. My rock star date, who I’m sure prefers to go nameless, was licking his fingers with delight over them and our drummer friend, was stomping his foot with speechless appreciation. Everyone at the party said they were the plumpest, most succulent wings they’d ever had, except Will.  Unfortunately, the wings were all gobbled up before he got one.  Sorry, Will!

Try to plan ahead on this one, so you can marinate for the full 3 days.  I think you’ll be amazed at the result. And please, save one for the host!

SUPERBOWL WINGS

4 lbs chicken wings

1 quart plain yogurt

3 oz. beer

Juice of 2 limes

1 1/2” ginger root- coarse chopped

2 t. dried thyme

1 t. dried lavender

1 t. black pepper

3/4 t. sea salt

Rinse and poke holes into the wings with a sharp knife, so the sauce penetrates the flesh of the chicken.  Mix all the ingredients together and marinate 1-3 days. Stir the mixture twice a day.

Grill very slowly on the BBQ or bake on a lightly oiled baking sheet in the oven at 325º for 45 minutes.  Goes good with a beer. Enjoy!

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