From the Spring Foraging Cookbook: Angelica and Asparagus
Angelica
Angelica was one of the first herbs I learned to gather, and it continues to be a favorite. Medicinally, it is very good for the lungs. The folks who taught me to gather herbs from the woods were adamant that I learn to identify this herb correctly as, at early stages of its growth, it can look somewhat like Water Hemlock, which is very poisonous. It can also look a bit like Baneberry. Please see my warnings and recommendations in the introduction. The taste of Angelica is a bit like celery or fennel and slightly sweet. I usually eat it as a vegetable, prepared much like Asparagus (see below). Many however, after cooking Angelica add a sugar syrup and cook it down into a candy. Candied Angelica has a slight anise or licorice like flavor and makes a good cough sweet.
Angelica leaves and flower make a nice culinary herb. The flavor is somewhere between anise and maybe juniper…. It is floral, aromatic and a bit strong. I particularly like to pair Angelica with pork, much as I would fennel. But, Angelica is stronger.
The unopened flowers are very good breaded and deep fried as you would squash or day lily flowers. They make for a good meal, because you leave the outer calyx in place, so you can eat the sepals and some tender leaves. I like to slice them open and stuff them with goat cheese mixed with chopped garlic, salt and black pepper, then bread and fry. Although a bit assertive in flavor, tender buds and leaves go very well with eggs. I especially enjoy using them in a frittata with sausage, tomato and onion and lots of hot pepper – I describe how to make frittatas under asparagus.
Asparagus
This is the wild vegetable that ignited the foraging movement in the 1960s, thanks to the classic work by Euell Gibbons entitled, Stalking The Wild Asparagus. Although, Gibbons’ book only covered a limited number of foraged foods, the passion with which he wrote and beauty of his prose stirred the passions of many young, city folks to take to the woods in search of a meal. A generation earlier, Bradford Angier had done the same. We owe a lot to these men, George Leonard Herter, Byron Dalrymple, Billy Jo Tatum and a handful of other writers – especially the Peterson Field Guides – for preserving and handing down this knowledge during a time in which industrial food production and government nutritional guidance sought to stamp out wild foods. Even in my lifetime, my grandmother was reluctant to share her knowledge of wild foods with me because foraging was considered something only the very poor did to survive. The concept of wild foods being gourmet, unique flavors and something special was unheard of. Additionally, many immigrant families discouraged their children from learning about their foraging traditions, believing that to be American was to embrace fast food and microwaves. We owe a lot to Euell Gibbons and his love of asparagus!
Ironically, Asparagus is not a truly wild vegetable. Asparagus was introduced to North America by the French in the 1600s. By post-colonial, early America Asparagus was common on most farms. One of our most loved heirloom varieties is even named for our first president’s wife, Martha Washington. Washington and Jefferson were both farmers who grew Asparagus. What we now know as wild Asparagus is truly feral. Like Dandelions, Plantain, Burdock and other plants that are now considered “weeds”, Asparagus was brought here by our ancestors to be used as food and medicine. Yes, Asparagus has medicinal value – it is good for the kidneys, liver and bowels, good for digestion, helps lower fevers and is particularly good for the urinary system, helping both with stones, infections and cystitis. So, the “Wild Asparagus” that Gibbons sent a generation searching for, was actually cultivated Asparagus that had gotten out of the garden. No matter. It is all delicious and the hunt for this spring perennial is a worthy excuse to get out into nature.
I enjoy Asparagus raw, but it is more nutritious when cooked.. or, perhaps I should say, bio-available. Most vegetables and all mushrooms must be cooked so that we can get their full nutritional value. The key is not to overcook them. We never want our precious and hard sought wild foods to resemble anything mushy, drab and from a can. Always harvest asparagus carefully. Break the stalk from the base or cut it cleanly – remember, this perennial vegetable will grow back. Asparagus is not a “one and done” annual. Care for your Asparagus patches and they will reward you with decades of abundant and delicious food! As mentioned under Fiddlehead Ferns, I generally cook Asparagus two ways. But, I also enjoy Cream of Asparagus Soup. So, briefly:
The Steam and Saute Method for Asparagus (and similar plants)
Asparagus will begin to get hard and woody as you get near the base of the stem. If you peel these parts, you can use much more of your asparagus. After peeling, simply snap off the section that is too hard to use. Save this for soup. Rinse your young, tender Asparagus briefly in cold water to remove any dirt. Do not dry. Heat a pan to medium – medium/high depending on your pan and your stove. Add some olive oil and butter (I like the combo) or other good quality fat. Keep the fat below the smoke point. Toss in your wet asparagus. Lightly salt. Cover the pan with a lid for around 5 minutes to steam. Remove the lid and let the water evaporate. Toss the Asparagus in the pan, allowing it to saute in the fat. Taste. If it is tender enough for you, add a little pepper and enjoy. If not, add a half glass or so of white wine and a little more butter and continue to cook until tender – this makes a very nice pan sauce. Asparagus and chardonnay have a specific, flavor enhancing relationship. So, I usually do add a little wine, just for flavor. Of course, you can include any herbs you like – parsley is a must for me – and any alliums you enjoy. Keep it simple, though. Asparagus has a profound flavor that should be enhanced, not overwhelmed.
If I am grilling steak, fish, chicken or game, I may cook my asparagus on a grill. Often, I simply trim it as above, oil and salt it and then grill until tender. Even better though, is to wrap the Asparagus in bacon and then grill it!
Cream of Asparagus Soup
Ingredients:
1 pound +/- fresh Asparagus
Butter
Milk
Flour
Salt and pepper to taste
Shallot or allium of your choice
Any herbs you like
Bacon
Chicken or beef (etc) broth or stock (see stock and broth recipes later)
White wine – Chardonnay is best
Corn, etc (optional)
Instructions
Begin by simmering all of your Asparagus trimmings in the broth or stock. Season that with any herbs you like – parsley, thyme, chives and celery tops are my favorite.
In a soup pot, fry up your bacon and reserve. Add butter to the bacon fat. Toss in chopped Asparagus (I like to leave the tips whole, because they have a nice mouth feel), finely diced shallot (onion, etc) and any other veggies you might be using. Corn is really good, because Asparagus and Corn have a similar relationship to chardonnay. The oakiness of the wine brings out more flavor in the vegetables. Artichoke is similar and also a great addition. Cook until tender and either reserve or push to the sides of the pot. Add more butter and an equal amount of plain flour – cook, stirring gently until the flour is cooked and no longer has a raw taste or smell. Stir in the stock/broth, a little at a time, making sure to avoid lumps. Then, add your milk. Cream is a nice touch, but since you are using butter it is not essential. Season and add herbs to taste, adding the wine toward the end.
Now, you have AMAZING cream of Asparagus soup! Enjoy it with a little Swiss or Parmesan cheese grated on top, toast or crackers, or whatever you like. But, it does not have to stop there. “Cream of” soups are the base for fantastic homemade casseroles. Chicken, cut into chunks, cubed or finely sliced beef, fish, crab, game…. Whatever you like will be fantastic using this soup as a base. You could even do a vegetable casserole. I think sweet garden peas and broccoli worked perfectly – topped with cheddar and pecan halves. Simply brown your meat and sweat down or blanch any veggies you like. Mix with the soup. I like to add a couple of tablespoons of mayonnaise, too (see homemade mayo recipe earlier). Put the mixture in a baking dish. Top with breadcrumbs or poppy seeds, chia seeds (etc), some chopped nuts (optional) and grated cheese. Bake until brown and bubbly… and be amazed that such wonderful meals can be produced in your kitchen. Seriously, being about half French, I am a casserole fanatic!
Another great way to use asparagus is to roast it with fish, chicken, game, beef, etc. I usually do this when baking a salmon. I season the salmon simply with salt, pepper, herbs, olive oil – usually I will use parsley and dill, at least. I cover the top with sliced lemon and onion. Around the fish, I arrange piles of asparagus in the baking dish. I put a pat of butter or two on each pile of Asparagus and season with salt and pepper. Finally, I add a glass of white wine and bake until done. This is an easy one dish meal, and you can substitute any fish you like. Sometimes I use trout or red snapper. The combination makes an incredible pan sauce. I spoon it over the fish and Asparagus. A baked potato or Jerusalem Artichokes goes perfectly with this meal.
Asparagus Frittata
Asparagus is especially nice for frittatas, because you can arrange the veggies so that they present in a very pretty way on the plate. Of course, they also taste great and are quite healthy! The frittata method is simply to cook your vegetation in a pan, then pour beaten eggs over them and finish cooking under a broiler or in a hot oven.
Ingredients:
Trimmed Asparagus spears
Finely sliced onion or other allium – scallions or spring onions, or their wild counterparts are particularly nice. I often combine Ramps with Asparagus as they come up about the same time.
At least 3 Eggs, beaten with a little milk
Other vegetables (optional) - I especially like cherry tomatoes and peppers
Mushrooms… I’ll list mushrooms and ham as optional, but they sure are nice!
Ham
Cheese of your choice.
Oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Any herbs you like
Instructions:
Heat your pan to medium-high and add some oil or what ever fat you like. Brown your mushrooms in the fat, being careful not to crowd the pan. We want to get some good color on the mushrooms, avoid stirring them around much – just let them sit there and brown. Toss in your veggies and saute at least until the onions are translucent. If you use tomatoes, you should squeeze the seeds and pulp out so they don’t make things soggy. You can use any vegetables and herbs you like, and I let the garden or the foraging harvest decide that. You can either brown the ham with the mushrooms or add it at this point. I use a country style cured ham or cooked ham, so when it is added really doesn’t matter. Shrimp or crab meat, etc is an excellent addition – I don’t think most people combine ham and seafood enough! Arrange the veggies and meat so that they will look pretty on the plate. I like to point all the spears of Asparagus out in sort of a sun pattern, with a piece of tomato, pepper and mushroom in between each. Pour in the beaten eggs and remove from the heat. The eggs will cook in the hot pan on the bottom, off the heat – if you leave it on the heat, they may burn. Once the eggs have firmed up a bit, add whatever grated cheese you like. I think Emmentaler or Gruyere are perfect, but I have used most every kind of cheese and have not found any that were bad. At this point, I also like to place some fresh herbs on top – usually some chives, parsley and maybe some whole leaves of basil. You could even toss a few edible flowers on. Just use whatever looks nice, but only use fresh herbs. Dry herbs would burn under the broiler. Then, place your pan in either a hot oven or under the broiler and cook just until the cheese is brown and bubbly. I prefer to use the broiler so the eggs don’t get over cooked. When done to your taste, turn the frittata onto a large plate so that the veggies are on top. Slice like a pie and eat. The nice thing about frittatas, aside from being tasty and nutritious, is that you can scale them up or down to make a quick breakfast or brunch for as many people you may need to serve - a big one is no more effort than a small one; just use a bigger pan and more ingredients.
This article is an excerpt from
The Spring Foraging Cookbook: https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-spring-foraging-cookbook.html
Available for purchase on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CRP63R54
Also, I am back on Youtube. Please subscribe to my channel: @judsoncarroll5902 Judson Carroll - YouTube
PS. New today in my Woodcraft shop:
Toasted Holly Cooking Spoon
Read about my other new books:
Herbal Medicine for Preppers, Homesteaders and Permaculture People: https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/2021/10/herbal-medicine-for-preppers.html
Available on Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B09HMWXL25
Medicinal Ferns and Fern Allies, an Herbalist's Guide https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/2022/11/medicinal-ferns-and-fern-allies.html
Available for purchase on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BMSZSJPS
A Daily Catholic Devotional Reflections on the Daily Mass readings July-December, 2025
https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/2023/12/a-daily-catholic-devotional-reflections.html
Medicinal Weeds and Grasses of the American Southeast, an Herbalist's Guide
https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/2023/05/medicinal-weeds-and-grasses-of-american.html
Available in paperback on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C47LHTTH
and
Confirmation, an Autobiography of Faith
https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/2023/05/confirmation-autobiography-of-faith.html
Available in paperback on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C47Q1JNK
and
Medicinal Shrubs and Woody Vines of The American Southeast An Herbalist's Guide
Read about Medicinal Shrubs and Woody Vines of The American Southeast An Herbalist's Guide: https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/2022/06/medicinal-shrubs-and-woody-vines-of.html
Available for purchase on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B2T4Y5L6: by Judson Carroll
Visit my Substack and sign up for my free newsletter:
Read about my new other books:
Medicinal Ferns and Fern Allies, an Herbalist's Guide https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/2022/11/medicinal-ferns-and-fern-allies.html
Available for purchase on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BMSZSJPS
The Omnivore’s Guide to Home Cooking for Preppers, Homesteaders, Permaculture People and Everyone Else: https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/2022/10/the-omnivores-guide-to-home-cooking-for.html
Available for purchase on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BGKX37Q2
Medicinal Shrubs and Woody Vines of The American Southeast an Herbalist's Guide
https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/2022/06/medicinal-shrubs-and-woody-vines-of.html
Available for purchase on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B2T4Y5L6
and
Growing Your Survival Herb Garden for Preppers, Homesteaders and Everyone Else
https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/2022/04/growing-your-survival-herb-garden-for.html
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09X4LYV9R
The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Bitter Herbs: https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-encyclopedia-of-bitter-medicina.html
Available for purchase on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B5MYJ35R
and
Christian Medicine, History and Practice: https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/2022/01/christian-herbal-medicine-history-and.html
Available for purchase on Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B09P7RNCTB
Podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/show/southern-appalachian-herbs
Blog:
https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/
Free Video Lessons: https://rumble.com/c/c-618325
Disclaimer
The information on this site is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease or condition. Nothing on this site has been evaluated or approved by the FDA. I am not a doctor. The US government does not recognize the practice of herbal medicine and their is no governing body regulating herbalists. Therefore, I'm just a guy who studies herbs. I am not offering any advice. I won't even claim that anything I write is accurate or true! I can tell you what herbs have "traditionally been used for." I can tell you my own experience and if I believe an herb helped me. I cannot, nor would I tell you to do the same. If you use any herb I, or anyone else, mentions you are treating yourself. You take full responsibility for your health. Humans are individuals and no two are identical. What works for me may not work for you. You may have an allergy, sensitivity or underlying condition that no one else shares and you don't even know about. Be careful with your health. By continuing to read my blog you agree to be responsible for yourself, do your own research, make your own choices and not to blame me for anything, ever.