Seasoned Shopper – March 2025

    Quick and easy stir-fry dishes are a must-have when fresh spring produce arrives at the market. Asparagus, edible pod peas and ginger come to mind first.
    Bundles of asparagus standing neatly at attention are a welcome sight. Green asparagus dominates the market, though a handful of farmers produce a pretty purple variety. To me, the taste is the same and when cooked, the purple asparagus turns green – but very short cooking times and adding a splash of lemon juice can help retain a little purple.
    Two important qualities to look for when choosing asparagus are condition of the tips and the color of the spears. Buds at the tip of the asparagus should be dry, firm and closed to form a point, and the majority of the spear should be bright green. The small, lower woody portion helps retain some of the moisture in the spear.
    Size (thin or thick) is merely a matter of preference, but I’m partial to the plump spears – they guarantee me more flavor.
    Simple preparation is best for asparagus. Bend each spear gently and it breaks naturally between tough and tender portions. Discard the lower tough portion or add to soups or stews. Rinse the green portions.
    I do not peel the stalks, but again, that remains a matter of preference. Add to one inch of boiling water in a large, flat pan. Cover and simmer for two to three minutes or until just tender when pierced with a fork.
    Roasting asparagus, though, brings out another layer of flavor. Arrange cleaned asparagus in a single layer in a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Bake in a 425-degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes until just tender.
    But there’s more going on right now than just asparagus. My first sighting of peas are the edible pod varieties such as snow peas and sugar snap peas. Snow peas (or Chinese pea pods) are one type of edible pod pea with tiny flat seeds inside a flat, tender three-inch pod. Sugar snap peas are a cross between snow peas and green garden peas which resemble small garden peas with thicker pod walls and plumper peas than snow peas.
    To prepare edible pod peas, snap off both tips and remove any strings along the seam (there are stringless varieties). Rinse and add to any stir-fry dish. If preparing for use in a salad, briefly cook snow peas (30 seconds) and sugar snap peas (one minute) in boiling water that just covers them. Drain and plunge into a bowl of ice water and then drain again.
    And then there’s ginger. The only time I really like fresh ginger is in the spring. Erroneously called ginger root, ginger is actually the underground stem or rhizome, not the root, of a tall, perennial, tropical plant. The translucent, pink-tinged skin of spring ginger requires no peeling and the flesh offers a little sweetness and only a hint of the spiciness of mature ginger. Spring ginger is tender enough to use raw or in a stir-fry dish.
    The Orinda Farmers’ Market is open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Orinda Way in Orinda Village. More information is available at cccfm.org, Facebook.com/OrindaFarmersMarket, Instagram @OrindaFarmersMarket or call the market hotline at 925.322.6228.

Spring Stir-Fry
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1-2 tablespoons very thinly sliced or chopped spring ginger
1 garlic clove, peeled, thinly sliced
4 spring onions, thinly sliced (use white bulb and some of the long, green slender tops)
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
24-30 edible pod peas (snow pea or sugar snap)
4 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

    Heat oil in a large wok or sauté pan. Stir fry ginger, garlic and spring onions for 30 seconds. Add asparagus, cook and stir frequently for 2 to 3 minutes. Add peas and cook another 2 minutes or until vegetables just begin to soften. Mix in soy sauce and red pepper flakes. Serve immediately. Serves four.