Scalloped Asparagus

Recipe No. 548 from the U.S. Army’s WWII cookbook — Vegetables. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.

Ingredients

• Asparagus stalks — 35 pounds*
• Salt — as needed
• Water, boiling — as needed

Bread crumbs, coarse — 2 pounds

• Onions, chopped (optional) — 6 ounces (½ No. 56 dipper)
• Salt — 1¼ ounces (2½ mess kit spoons)
• Pepper — as needed
• Milk, evaporated — 4—14½ ounce cans

Directions

Key ingredients

Evaporated Milk

1. Remove and discard the tough lower ends of the asparagus stalks. Wash remainder of stalks thoroughly.
2. Stand stalks upright in deep kettle. Add boiling salted water. Cover and heat to boiling point; reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes or until tender. Drain.
3. Combine bread crumbs, butter, onions, salt and pepper.
4. Spread ½ crumb mixture on bottom of well greased baking pans.
5. Place asparagus on crumbs.
6. Mix milk and 1 quart (1 No. 56 dipper) asparagus liquid; pour over asparagus.
7. Cover with remaining crumbs.
8. Bake in moderate oven (375° F.) until thoroughly heated and crumbs are brown.

Notes

SCALED TO 8 SERVINGS (the original is ÷12.5): Asparagus stalks — 2 lb 12¾ oz Salt — to taste Water, boiling — to taste Bread crumbs, coarse — 2½ oz Onions, chopped (optional) — ½ oz Salt — about ⅔ tsp Pepper — to taste Milk, evaporated — ½ can (14½ oz)

3 to 4 No. 10 cans asparagus may be substituted for the 35 pounds fresh asparagus. Heat asparagus in liquid from the can. Fresh asparagus may be cut into 1 inch pieces before cooking. Cook the tougher parts first and add the tender tips the last 15 minutes of cooking. Use asparagus liquid in soups.

— TM 10-412, Army Recipes (War Department, 15 August 1944), recipe No. 548, Vegetables. Army measures: 1 No. 56 dipper = 1 qt; 1 No. 55 dipper = 1¾ qt; 1 mess kit cup = 1½ pints.