Show #202N 

Ingredients:

2 pounds thin asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into one inch pieces, preferably from michigan
2  tablespoons sea salt, or to taste
1  tablespoon baking soda, optional
1/8-1/4 cup whole egg mayonnaise, see recipe, or similar, to taste
1 teaspoon roasted garlic puree
2 hickory smoked serrano or jalapeño chiles
1/2 cup fresh cilantro sprigs, coarsely chopped
1 small vine-ripened red and/or yellow orange tomatoes (about 5 medium), peeled, seeded and chopped, preferably from michigan
1/4 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoons ½  fresh lime juice, freshly squeezed, or to taste
sea salt, to taste
cracked black pepper, to taste
clancy's fancy hot sauce, to taste

Directions:

In a 4-quart non reactive saucepan over high heat bring 2 quarts of water to a rapid boil with the salt and baking soda. Add the asparagus, reduce the heat to medium and cook 8-10 minutes, or until asparagus is tender. Drain and rinse with cold water. Blot asparagus with paper towel to remove excess moisture.

Combine the cooked asparagus, garlic puree, and mayonnaise in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth and transfer the asparagus mixture to a medium mixing bowl, reserve.

Wearing rubber gloves, seed and finely chop chiles. Finely chop enough onion to measure 1/4 cup and chop cilantro.

Add the chiles, onion, cilantro, and tomatoes to the reserved asparagus mixture season to taste with the lime juice, sea salt, black pepper, hot sauce.

The asparagus "guacamole" may be made 1 hour ahead and kept cool before serving.

Notes:

michigan asparagus is one of the most nutritionally well-balanced vegetables on the planet and the eggheads say it leads nearly all produce in the wide array of nutrients with stuff like folacin, fiber, vitamins a, c and b6!  now i would be lying if i knew what all that meant but - it's kewl eh?

a member of the lily family asparagus spears can grow from a crown that is planted about a foot deep in sandy soil and under ideal conditions, an asparagus spear can grow 10" in a 24-hour period - i'm serious it's crazzzzy.

It's michigan temperature that determines how much time will be between each picking.  early in the season, there may be 4-5 days between pickings and as the days and nights get warmer, a particular field may have to be picked every 24 hours there's that fast growing thing again.

After harvesting is done the spears grow into ferns, which produce red berries and the food and nutrients necessary for a healthy and productive crop the next season.