| 1 | Snap ends off asparagus spears. |
| 2 | Fill medium skillet with 1-inch water and bring to a boil. |
| 3 | Add asparagus in single layer and cook 8 to 10 minutes or until tender. |
| 4 | Drain well and arrange on a serving plate. |
| 5 | Stir together vinegar and oil in sm bowl. |
| 6 | Add blue cheese and chives and mix well. |
| 7 | Pour over hot asparagus. |
| 8 | Season to taste with plenty of white pepper. |
| 9 | Set aside until tepid, then serve. |
| 10 | hint on cleaning asparagus: hold the bottom end of the stem in one hand and gently bend the stalk with the other. |
| 11 | The stalk will break where it is tender, thus giving you a piece of asparagus that is entirely edible. |
| 12 | With a little practice you will know exactly where to break the vegetable. |
| 13 | Save the broken-off ends for soups. |
| 14 | Slice and add to soup stock, then drain and discard the coarse stalks before serving. |
| 15 | by jeff smith the frugal gourmet from the 10/02/1991 issue - the springfield union-news recipe |
