Fresh Asparagus Patties – Spring is in the Air, After Coming Up Through the Ground

There are certain things I wait for every year that tells me spring is really here. Baseball on the radio, having to change the clocks, and all that beautiful green asparagus piled high at the market.

Even though we can now get asparagus pretty much year-round, it just seems to look and taste better this time year, especially if you're listening to baseball, while observing the correct time.

And while I love whole spears of asparagus prepared simply, once in a while I crave a new and exciting delivery system, and these delicious, and beautiful patties were just that. As I mentioned in the video, this was an experiment, but other than maybe cutting up the asparagus a little smaller, I don't think I'd change too much. To clarify, I'm speaking about the actual patty itself, and not how it was served, since I have a few thoughts regarding that.

I gave a few alternative sauce ideas in the video, but what about topping these with poached eggs, and doing some kind of vegetarian Benedict? Or maybe make them a little bigger, and thicker, and serve them on a nicely toasted burger bun? There are just a few ideas to get you started. Regardless of how you serve these asparagus patties, I really do hope you give them a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 asparagus patties:

• 1 pound fresh asparagus spears, trimmed, blanched in well salted water (it should taste like sea water)
• salt, freshly ground black pepper, and cayenne to taste
• 1 ounce finely grated pecorino cheese, or Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 1 unpacked cup after grating on a microplane)
• 1/3 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
• 2 large eggs
• olive oil, as needed for frying
• fresh lemon to garnish and/or use in your *sauce
• * My sauce was simply mayonnaise spiked with raw garlic, lemon juice, and a pinch of cayenne.