April (and May) is all about asparagus, especially for people like my sister who cultivates a healthy crop in her garden. The rest of us are left to pick up our bundles from the store each spring, when the crisp, green vegetables are at their freshest and finest. Since spring also means wild turkey at my house, asparagus accompanies most of my turkey dishes.
Typically I grill mine or sometimes they get steamed, but I recently came across this recipe for a Thai-style stir fry that matches asparagus spears with another spring treat: the mushroom. If you’ve been lucky enough to find some morels, feel free to use them, but just about any edible mushroom will do—even the catch-all crimini.
Asparagus and Mushrooms in Oyster Sauce
Ingredients
– 2-3 Tbsp. peanut or canola oil
– 1 pound asparagus, chopped on the diagonal into 1-inch thick pieces
– ½ pound mushrooms, cut into thick slices
– 6 cloves of garlic, sliced
For the glaze:
– 2 Tbsp. oyster sauce
– 2 Tbsp. water
– 1 Tbsp. fish sauce
– tsp. sesame oil
– ½ tsp. cornstarch
Directions:
Add the ingredients for the glaze into a small bowl or cup and whisk until well mixed. Set a wok or heavy pan over high heat. Once the pan is warm, add 1 to 2 Tbsp. of oil. When the oil starts to shimmer and just begins to smoke, add the asparagus and stir-fry for about a minute. Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan if necessary, and then the mushrooms and garlic. Stir and fry for about another minute or two.
Whisk the glaze to ensure the cornstarch hasn’t settled, then stir the mixture into the pan. Cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the sauce is reduced to a glaze. Transfer to the glazed vegetables to a serving bowl.