20. Asparagus with Saffron  [Parsaa Sahramilla] Medieval Kitchen:  Recipes from France & Italy,  Odile Redon, Francoise Sabban, Silvano Serventi, Patricia gl Smith 75

 Of asparagus. Take the asparagus and boil it; when it is cooked, put it to cook with oil, onions, salt, and saffron, and with ground spices, or without. (Za 8)

Our Tuscan-language treatise is the most diverse source of vegetable recipes; indeed, it is the only one to mention asparagus, which are prepared in the simplest imaginable way-but what flavor! Barely tenderized in boiling water, then gently cooked in a drop of extra-virgin olive oil with a little green onion, saffron, nutmeg, and pepper, these asparagus are barely recognizable when you think of the waterlogged vegetable that we French always seem to he eating with mayonnaise.
 
 
 20. Asparagus with Saffron
 

Imperial	Metric	Ingredient
2 1/4 pounds	1 kg	fairly large asparagus
2 tablespoons	2 tablespoons	olive oil
2	2	green onions, sliced (these and asparagus appear more or less simultaneously, in springtime)
1 pinch	1 pinch	freshly grated nutmeg
1 a small pinch	1 a small pinch	saffron  (7 or 8 threads)
1 pinch	1 pinch	salt
1 pinch	1 pinch	freshly ground pepper

Carefully peel the asparagus and break off the woody, fibrous ends of each spear. Wash, then cook in boiling salted water for about 10 minutes (or steam them ). They should not become droopy, but should remain slightly crisp.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet and gently cook the onions until translucent but not browned. Add the asparagus and the saffron. Lower the heat, cover the skillet, and cook gently for about 7 minutes. Turn the asparagus, and season with salt, pepper, and a little nutmeg. Continue to cook, covered, over low heat for another 10 minutes or so. Serve when the asparagus is just turning golden.