Now that fresh asparagus is available year round, the thrill of seeing the spears in the supermarket isn't as powerful. I'll admit that I've cooked asparagus in January when I wanted a psychological escape from winter's gloom.

But I still honor the seasonal harvest by shopping for locally grown asparagus being offered now in farmers markets and some food stores.

The just-picked vegetable has a delicate herbal taste that's lost in cross-country shipping.

If you share my craving for spring asparagus, take the extra steps to find the freshest bunch in the bin. Look for firm, unwrinkled spears and compact dry tips. Avoid limp and/or strong-smelling asparagus, signs of age.

Don't let asparagus linger in your refrigerator either. Purchase the vegetable within a day or two of use and store in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator.

To best appreciate the taste of asparagus prepare it simply without a heavy sauce. You can cook asparagus on top of the stove or roast it in the oven, which brings out the vegetable's sweetness.

For stovetop cooking, snap the tough ends off the asparagus and place the spears in a skillet filled with salted water. By the time the water comes to a gentle boil the asparagus should be tender. Immediately drain to avoid overcooking.

Roasting asparagus is just as easy, using the directions provided in the Roast Salmon and Asparagus Salad.

Roast Salmon & Asparagus Salad Recipe

Makes 2 servings.

Per Serving

Ingredients

Preparation

Place asparagus spears in one side of a shallow greased roasting pan.

Arrange salmon fillets, skin-side down, next to asparagus.

Drizzle 1 tablespoon oil over asparagus and salmon.

Sprinkle asparagus and salmon generously with pepper and lightly with salt.

Roast in preheated 400-degree oven for 10 minutes or until salmon is cooked through. If salmon is done but asparagus is still hard, remove salmon and set aside.

Return asparagus to oven for 5 more minutes. Set asparagus and salmon aside for 15 minutes or until the ingredients are lukewarm, not hot.

Arrange 1 cup salad greens on each of two dinner plates.

Top with half the asparagus spears. Remove salmon skin if desired.

Place salmon fillets over asparagus.

Combine remaining 1 tablespoon oil, lemon juice and chicken broth in a bowl.

Stir in 1/8 teaspoon pepper and salt to taste.

Stir in dill weed.

Spoon over salads.

Bev Bennett is the author of "30-Minute Meals for Dummies ," John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2003.)

More Main Course Salads & Salad Recipes

Asparagus with Orange Mustard Sauce Recipe
Wolfgang Puck Springtime Recipe

We celebrate this seasonal treat by serving Asparagus simply as an appetizer, cooked tender-crisp and then chilled until serving time, when we accompany it with classic, rich sauces that complement its flavor, such as the sweet, tart, and spicy mixture of orange juice, mustard, and cream I share here.

For something lighter, serve it with your favorite vinaigrette dressing.

Either white or green asparagus may be used for this recipe.

(c) 2009, Bev Bennett. Distributed by Tribune Media Services Inc.