Even when you can't tell it's spring by the weather, you can tell from the price of season's signature vegetable in supermarkets: If asparagus is under $1.50 a pound, spring has arrived.

People who like asparagus are legion, and it seems to inspire such passion that those who profess fondness for it almost always say it's their favorite vegetable.

"I love it," said John Shields, whose restaurant, Gertrude's, is at the Baltimore Museum of Art. "It's one of my favorite things. I know it's a cliche, but it really is one of the things you always wait for in the spring. It's so wonderful."

While Shields says he likes asparagus when it's simply prepared -- blanched and tossed in vinaigrette, for instance -- he also likes to dress it up.

For instance, he marinates it, wraps it in thinly sliced Smithfield ham and grills it, then sprinkles it with lemon juice. He also serves it pureed in a timbale with a fresh, uncooked tomato sauce.

"The thing about asparagus is it's totally unique, taste-wise," Shields said. "It's not like it tastes like anything else -- it's asparagus."

Caterer Jerry Edwards of Chef's Expressions in Timonium has a favorite way -- "which is also the simplest" -- to prepare asparagus. He tosses the stalks in extra-virgin olive oil (peeling the tough parts of the stems unless the stalks are pencil-thin), sprinkles them with lemon juice, sea salt and cracked pepper, then spreads them on a baking sheet in a single layer and roasts them in a 500-degree oven for about 10 minutes, until they are tender. When the stalks are done, he tosses them with grated pecorino-Romano cheese before serving.

But he also makes a salad of grilled asparagus, grilled onion, grilled red peppers and pistachio nuts, dressed with a blue-cheese vinaigrette.

"We do get people that want asparagus with hollandaise sauce," Edwards said, "which I guess is OK, but these [preparations] are so much more exciting."

Amanda Hesser, now a New York Times reporter, went to cooking school in France and spent a year cooking for Anne Willan, the author and cooking teacher who runs Ecole de Cuisine La Varenne at her 17th-century chateau in Burgundy. Hesser says that, if anything, the arrival of spring asparagus is even more important in France.

"Asparagus season is really celebrated," says Hesser, who has written a book about her cooking experience in France called "The Cook and the Gardener" (Norton, 1999, $32.50).

The "gardener" of the title is Roger Milbert, who tended the chateau's walled potager, or kitchen garden. "He grew white and green asparagus," Hesser says. "In France, white asparagus is eaten more."

White asparagus is harvested before the stalks emerge from underground, and it is more expensive than green asparagus, she says. The French also prefer really fat asparagus stalks, she said. "Once you get used to it, it is a meatier, more interesting texture vegetable."

In France, white asparagus is always peeled, because the skin is tough. Only restaurants peel green asparagus, she said. "In the country, they just hold it in their hands and bend it, and where it snaps separates the tough part from the tender part." The ends aren't wasted; they're used for soups and purees.

She likes to serve early green asparagus simply, blanched with a vinaigrette dressing. Tarragon vinaigrette is one of her favorites. "Asparagus goes really well with tarragon," she says. "You would never think it, with the anise-licorice flavor of the tarragon, and the sharp, clean taste of the asparagus, but they complement each other very well."

She does not, however, limit herself to that. She offers, for instance, an asparagus risotto. The creamy, rich texture and flavor of the rice is offset perfectly by the vegetable, she says, providing "little clean bursts of flavor in your mouth."

She also likes asparagus with braised lamb and garlic and peas. "It's such a nice spring dish. It's not really warm yet, so you're still eating stews and roasts, but the asparagus gives a little touch of spring."

One of asparagus' charms is its versatility, she said. You can boil it, you can grill it, you can use it in other dishes. One thing you don't want to do is put it with any other heavy tastes, she said. "You don't want the asparagus to get lost."

Hesser's book includes notes on shopping for vegetables, including asparagus -- a subject about which she feels strongly.

"Unless you have a garden," she writes in the book, "you are more or less subject to the consciousness of the supermarket or farmer's market near you. If they don't care for the produce they sell, or respect the seasonality of the produce, you are faced with a bewildering array of fruits and vegetables, making the challenge of preparing sound meals more difficult. Learning the standard seasons of vegetables and what to expect from them simplifies your job. If you demand good produce, and know when and what to look for, your cooking will show it."

Asparagus Timbale

Serves 6

3 pounds of asparagus

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cup finely diced onion

6 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup milk, heated

1/4 teaspoon salt

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

2/3 cup grated Gruyere cheese

2/3 cup dried bread crumbs

Fresh Tomato Sauce With

Tarragon (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Trim off tough ends of asparagus. Drop asparagus into a pot of rapidly boiling salted water and cook until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the spears. Remove from water and cut tips from the asparagus and set aside. Place the rest of the spears into a food processor or blender and process until smooth.

In a saute pan, melt 2 tablespoons butter and saute the onion over medium heat until soft, about 5 to 8 minutes. Place onion in a mixing bowl.

Into the same bowl, add the eggs and beat well. Slowly whisk in the hot milk. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter, salt, nutmeg and cheese. Mix in the asparagus puree and the reserved tips. Fold in the bread crumbs.

Butter six 8-ounce ramekins and divide the mixture among them. Or butter a 6-cup souffle mold and pour in the entire mixture. Place the ramekins or souffle mold in a baking pan and pour in boiling water until it reaches about two-thirds of the way up the dishes. Bake for about 25-30 minutes for the smaller ramekins, or 35 to 40 minutes for the larger souffle mold. When set, remove from water and let molds sit for 5 minutes before turning out.

Serve with Fresh Tomato Sauce With Tarragon.

Fresh Tomato Sauce With Tarragon

Makes about 2 cups

2 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled, cored and lightly seeded

1 teaspoon minced garlic

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped tarragon leaves

pinch of kosher salt

freshly grated black pepper, to taste

balsamic vinegar, to taste

Place tomatoes and garlic in a blender and process until smooth. With blender running, slowly add the olive oil. Add tarragon, salt, pepper and vinegar to taste. -- From John Shields

Grilled Asparagus Salad

Serves 4

1 pound asparagus, trimmed

olive or vegetable oil, for grilling 1 onion, sliced

1 red pepper, roasted and sliced (see note)

1/4-1/2 cup pistachio nuts, whole or halved

Blue Cheese Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Bring water to boil in a pot large enough to hold the asparagus without bending it. Drop in the asparagus and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, until tender. Toss the spears with olive or vegetable oil, and place in one layer on medium-high grill. Turn the spears after 1 minute. Brush onion slices with olive or vegetable oil and grill them. Roast the pepper, skin and slice (see note). Cut asparagus into 1 1/2-inch lengths. Mix asparagus, onion, pepper and pistachios in a bowl; toss with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette.

Note: To roast the pepper, grill it over open flame or under broiler until skin is charred all over. Place in paper bag until cool enough to handle. Peel off blackened skin.

Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

Makes about 3/4 cup

1/8 cup rice wine vinegar

1/2 cup of olive oil

1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (see note)

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together the vinegar and olive oil, stir in blue cheese and Parmesan, add salt and pepper to taste.

Note: Use a drier, more aged blue cheese, such as Stilton or Roquefort; it will crumble better. -- From Jerry Edwards

Asparagus Risotto

Serves 4 to 6

4-4 1/2 cups stock (homemade,

or use low-sodium canned chicken stock)

1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 shallot lobes, chopped fine

1 1/2 cups arborio rice coarse or kosher salt

1/2 cup white wine

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese,

plus more for sprinkling

freshly ground black pepper

In a medium pan bring the stock to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until needed.

Cut the asparagus stems into thin circles (about 1/4 inch thick), reserving the tips. In a medium, heavy-based pan over medium-low heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter with the olive oil. Add the shallot and soften for 2-3 minutes. Add the rice, stirring to coat the grains with butter, and season lightly with salt. Continue cooking over medium-low heat until the rice grains become translucent around the edges, 2 to 3 minutes. This gently roasts the rice, improving the flavor of the finished dish.

Pour in the white wine and reduce until the liquid has evaporated. Then add the heated stock, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly at a steady simmer (just bubbling), letting the rice absorb the liquid before each addition of stock. After half the stock has been added, stir in the asparagus. Keep adding stock until the rice is tender but not mushy, 20 to 25 minutes altogether. There should not be any liquid, but rather a creamy, loose sauce binding the rice.

Stir in the remaining butter and the cheese. Season to taste with salt. Serve on individual plates, sprinkling a little cheese and freshly ground black pepper on each. Garnish with the reserved asparagus tips. -- From "The Cook and the Gardener" by Amanda Hesser

Braised Lamb With Garlic, Asparagus and Peas

Serves 4

2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil

1 1/2 pounds lean shoulder (or leg) of lamb, cut in 2-inch cubes

coarse or kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 onion, sliced thin

1 carrot, trimmed, peeled and diced fine

3 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup white wine

2 bay leaves

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves (stems reserved, about 4-5 sprigs)

3 sprigs thyme about 5 cups of stock, homemade or canned, or water

8-10 asparagus stalks, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths

2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed and chopped

1/2 tablespoon chopped chervil leaves (about 4 sprigs), or 1/2 tablespoon chopped tarragon leaves (about 2 branches)

1 cup fresh peas

In a large pan fitted with a lid, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add just enough lamb pieces to cover the base of the pan without touching one another and brown well on all sides -- this helps flavor the finished dish. As the pieces finish coloring, remove them to a plate using a slotted spoon. Repeat with the remaining meat, sauteing in as many batches as necessary. If the pan gets dry, add a little more oil; if the meat starts to burn, turn down the heat slightly. Season the browned lamb with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion and carrot, stirring to coat them in oil. Soften and wilt them slightly, 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to disperse the flour and cook it through, 1 to 2 minutes. If you don't cook the flour thoroughly, you will taste it in the braise. Add the wine and reduce to 2 tablespoons. You have just established the base for the braise.

Tie together the bay leaves, the parsley stems, and thyme sprigs with kitchen string and add them to the pan along with the meat and any juices that have collected on the plate. Add enough stock to come two-thirds of the way up the meat -- the quantity will depend on the dimensions of your pan. Season lightly and stir to blend the ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, place a cover slightly askew over the pan, and bring to a gentle simmer, so that the liquid is just bubbling. Simmer for about 1 hour, until the meat is extremely tender and the cooking liquid has been reduced to a thin but robust sauce. Check the meat by pinching a piece between your fingers. If it is soft and splits easily, it's cooked.

Meanwhile, bring a small pan of water, seasoned with salt, to a boil. Add the asparagus to the boiling water and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. It should be bright green and slightly tender, but still crisp. Drain. In a small bowl, combine the chopped parsley, garlic and chervil. Set aside.

When you think the meat is almost done, add the blanched asparagus, the peas, and one-third of the garlic-herb mixture. Cook 3 to 4 minutes longer, to heat through. The texture of the firm vegetables will contrast nicely with the soft, rich meat. Taste and adjust seasoning. Discard the herbs tied with string.

To serve, use a slotted spoon to lift a few pieces of the meat with plenty of asparagus and peas onto each plate. Spoon some sauce over the meat and sprinkle with the remaining garlic-herb mixture. -- From "The Cook and the Gardener," by Amanda Hesser