BaltimOregon to Maine

There’s nothing like bonding in the kitchen with friends you have missed. I have cooked with and for my Baltimore girls since our pot-luck days at Davidson College. Thankfully, we could squeeze in a home-cooked meal together on my recent trek back to the East Coast.

We made — surprise, surprise — a whole roast chicken with that herbed salt rub. Hey, it’s an easy crowd pleaser, yet Hannah had never made one. The whole bird can be daunting, though more economical and flavorful. After dinner, we made stock with the carcass (Hannah, what soup will you make? Don’t forget the pot in Adam’s fridge.) Olive oil and rosemary potatoes roasted in the pan with the chicken.

The highlight of the meal, though, was Hannah’s Korean Asparagus (see recipe below). Barbara Kingsolver made me feel guilty about eating them out of season, but California-grown ones were on sale, and we couldn’t resist the recipe. Now we know what to make when the elegant green spears grace our farmers markets in a month. Smelly pee, here we come! I liked the tangy Korean marinade so much I served it over lighty cooked broccoli and carrots, over rice, tonight.

Here’s the Korean asparagus recipe (from Madhur Jaffrey, I believe)

1.5 lbs asparagus

Dressing:

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 smashed clove of garlic

Shave the ends of the spears if the asparagus is thick.

Soak the asparagus in cold water for 15 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix together the dressing ingredients.

Boil the asparagus for about two minutes.

Drain and run under cold water.

Remove the garlic clove from the dressing (if you want) before pouring it over the asparagus and mixing.