Call the Recipe Detectives! Happy Easter

In Season: Asparagus

Now's the time to stalk up on these sensational spears.

What it looks like: Picture a slim green spear, often tinged with a bit of purple at the tip.

Selection tips: Look for firm, bright green stalks with tight, compact heads. Avoid spears that are dry, limp, or wrinkled, or have ruffled tips. Thinner spears are usually more tender, and you'll want to choose similarly sized ones so they'll cook evenly. One pound equals 16 to 20 spears, or about two cups chopped.

Storage tips: Try not to buy asparagus too long before you intend to cook it. When you get it home, don't wash it; instead, either stand the stalks upright in about an inch of water and cover them (and the container) with a plastic bag, or wrap the stem ends in a wet paper towel and seal the asparagus in a plastic bag. Either way, it will keep for only about three days.

Preparing: First, thoroughly wash the asparagus. You don't want to soak it; just hold the stalks upside down under cold water and shake them a bit to release any sand that might be caught in the tips. Then hold both ends of each spear and bend; the tough, fibrous base should snap right off. (This step is unnecessary in thinner spears, which are completely edible.) Then, pick one of three easy ways to prepare this delicate spring treat:

• Boil it. To boil asparagus, tie the stalks together with kitchen string, then stand them up in a cooking pot so the tips are just above the water line. If the stalks are too tall to allow you to use the regular lid to the pan, invert another pan on top instead. (Note: glass and ceramic coffeepots make ideal asparagus cookers.) Cook them only until they're crisp-tender, then remove them from the heat and drain them thoroughly.

• Nuke it. You can also cook asparagus in the microwave. Arrange the stalks spoke-fashion, tips toward the center, in about two tablespoons of water in a round baking dish. Cover and cook at HIGH for 7 to 10 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Be sure to rotate the dish half way through if you're not using a carousel.

• Eat it raw. Slice thin, fresh asparagus and add to a salad, or serve whole spears alongside your favorite dip.

Peak growing season: While hothouses provide asparagus year-round, the freshest is grown between February and June.

Health benefits: Eating this tender veggie is an excellent way to help protect yourself against heart disease, as it contains lots of folate, as well vitamins E, A, and C. In addition to helping your heart, folate (a B vitamin) helps cells regenerate; vitamin E fights Type II diabetes; and vitamins A and C help hold cancer and cataracts at bay. Asparagus also contains potassium, which helps lower blood pressure and perhaps even cholesterol.

Nutritional info: One-half cup of boiled asparagus (about six spears) equals approximately 22 calories, 1.4 grams of fiber, 2.3 grams of protein, 0.3 gram of fat (0.1 of it saturated), 10 milligrams of sodium, and no cholesterol.

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