VEGETABLES

 Paula Wolfert's Asparagus with Black Morels
from The Edible Mushroom by Margaret Leibenstein

Paula Wolfert is unquestionably one of America's best food writers. Her food and travel articles that appear in America's leading food and life-style magazines are always a delight. But it's as a cookbook writer that she excels. Not only is her style informative (one never fails to learn a new technique), but her recipes are always unmistakably her own. Notice, when you prepare this dish, how simple yet how "right" it is.

Ingredients:
12 ounces fresh dark morels, stems removed, cut in half if large
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
3 dozen asparagus, preferably of similar thickness
1/2 cup creme fraiche
2 teaspoons sherry or port
12 sprigs Italian parsley

1. Wash the fresh morels in acidulated water; swish to release dirt, drain and pat dry.
2. In a 9-inch nonstick or well-seasoned skillet, cover and slowly cook fresh morels with 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons water, lemon juice and salt and pepper for 12 to 15 minutes or until the moisture has evaporated. Shake the skillet often to avoid sticking. Set aside.
3. Wash asparagus under running water, break off the bottom portion of each stalk and peel using a paring knife or a swivel-bladed peeler. Cook asparagus until crisp-tender in boiling salted water (the time depends upon thickness and age of the asparagus). Drain on a kitchen cloth, cover and keep warm.
4. Just before serving, add creme fraiche to the morels and reduce by boiling to one-half. Stir in sherry or port and adjust seasoning. Pour over the asparagus, strew with torn bits of flat leaf parsley, and serve at once.
NOTE: Combine 2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice with 1 quart water to make acidulated water.
VARIATION: Substitute 2 ounces dried morels; macerate trimmed dried morels in 1 1/2 cups water for 2 hours, squeeze dry and set aside. Strain soaking liquid through filter paper to remove any sand. Combine reserved soaking liquid and morels in skillet and bring almost to a boil, simmer 5 minutes or until liquid has evaporated. Add butter, water, lemon juice and seasoning and prepare as directed above.

Serves 5 or 6