When I was seven years old, our family moved to a home that was situated on a quarter of an acre of land. The property also had a thriving 'asparagus patch.' It was my first experience with this vegetable and it rapidly became a favorite. My father especially enjoyed it served creamed over toast. This recipe adds an unusual touch of delicate apricot flavor....

Ingredients

  • At least 1 pound of fresh or frozen asparagus
  • ½ cup apricot nectar
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • Pinch ground ginger, if desired
  • 1 tsp lemon juice

Preparation

Break off root end of asparagus spears. Wash well. Cut spears into 1-inch pieces.

Place asparagus pieces in steamer over boiling water and cook 3-5 minutes until barely tender. Remove from heat.

Place apricot nectar in small pan and stir in cornstarch, salt, and ginger. Mix well.

Place pan over medium heat and stir until mixture has thickened.

Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice.

Place cooked asparagus in a serving bowl or on a serving platter. Pour apricot nectar over asparagus.

Serve as a side dish. 

NOTE:  You can also serve over sourdough toast just as you would with a cream sauce. In that case, add asparagus to the thickened apricot nectar sauce, stir very gently until asparagus is coated with the sauce, then pour over pieces of toast. I tend to cut my toast into squares first as that makes it easier to eat.