Asparagus is traditionally considered a springtime vegetable, however through faster transportation and growing methods its season has been extended.  Its natural season in central Europe is from about mid April until the last week of June.  Although the green asparagus is the original vegetable, white asparagus first appeared in the 1800's as a result of a clever cultivation method to fool nature and is the common variety usually found in central Europe with the green remaining the favourite for southern Europe.  In England and America, the white and purple variety is unusual as these countries too, favour the green asparagus.

In Germany, the asparagus season begins in May and is a much looked forward to time of year.  Restaurants vie with each other with dishes from classic ways to serve them to innovative new recipes.  Few Germans don't enjoy them at least a few times a week when the season has arrived.

White asparagus has a delicate flavour and must first be peeled before use.  Trim the woody ends and starting from the bottom and using a vegetable peeler, peel a very thin strip toward the tip.  Often, only the lower half need be peeled.  Experience helps gauge this and some cooks insist to peel from under the tip downward.  Some cooks who are adept at this little job, simply use a small paring knife.  This will ensure that the asparagus is tender and easy to cut when eating.  (Save these peelings for a delicious asparagus soup!)  Cooked with the water method, white requires 15 to 20 cooking time.)  

Green asparagus requires no peeling and has a more intense flavour and vitamin content and requires a shorter cooking time (10 to 15 minutes depending on thickness and only 3 to 5 minutes for very thin) than white or purple. 

If you do not have a special pot for asparagus, bundle them, tying in two places and steam upright in a tall, deep pot until tender.  The time will vary on type and freshness, so testing is the only way to determine doneness.  Another method is to cut them in half, steam the lower half of the spears for 3 to 5 minutes before adding the rest.  Altogether, it may take 6 to 10 minutes for green asparagus. 

A particularly good method and my favourite is cooking them in portions in aluminium foil (use the type with the white protective side in), dot with butter (or paint with melted herb butter) and a light sprinkle of salt or even better, none at all.  Wrap firmly and wrap an extra strip around the tip end.  Bake in a preheated oven of 180° for 35 to 40 minutes for the white variety.  Reduce the baking time for green asparagus by 5 minutes.  Prepared this way, the flavour is magnificent!  (A hotter oven will reduce the cooking time considerably!)

Long spears of asparagus, all of an even length is, of course desirable.  Often, I keep the lower third plus the peelings from white asparagus just for soup and steam the rest.  After cooking, plunge in cold water for a moment, drain and serve immediately, or cool to slightly warm and serve as a warm salad.  Wild asparagus grows here in Spain and is a petite version of the green cultivated sort.  It only takes about a minute to steam and is a tasty garnish or addition to a salad.

The noble asparagus, be they green, purple (favoured by the French), or white, so favoured in central Europe  is something to look forward to.  In Germany, we aficionados awaited the asparagus season well versed in sauces and dishes - there,  restaurants compete with each other with classic to unusual asparagus dishes and perfect accompanying sauces.  A filling and low calorie meal of white asparagus with perhaps a classic hollandaise sauce, potatoes and a mixed salad is a treat.  (The highly caloric hollandaise sauce is forgivable because of the low calories in the asparagus and potato...weight watching is about balancing. 1 kilo of asparagus has only 130 calories).  Read The Epicurean Digest for health benefits and interesting information.

A little sugar enhances the flavour of the white variety and is optional with the green.  Some cooks add a little lemon to the cooking water to help keep the white whiter and the green greener.  This too is optional.  

Suggestions:

baked - Use foil packets (use aluminium foil with a white protective side).

battered - A light batter such as tempura is best (blanch first).

crepes - As a filling with a classic sauce.

classic sauces - Lemon butter, Hollandaise, Sauce Mousseline, Sauce Mournay etc.

classic garnishes - Boiled egg, chopped or sliced, herbs such as parsley or chive.

main dish - Steamed potatoes are a natural complement to spears of asparagus with a classic sauce such as Hollandaise.

omelette - Long spears laid in a fluffy omelette made with a little ham.  Fold one half over the spears and garnish, if desired with a cheese or fresh chopped tomato sauce.

pasta or rice - Use green asparagus tips tossed with pasta or rice.

salad - Cook al dente, plunge in cold water and drain well.

steamed - As a warm appetizer or cold for salads with or without a vinaigrette or other favourite sauce.

sautéed - Blanch first for Asian dishes or mixed vegetable sauté.

side dish - Steamed, or thin spears of wild asparagus grilled or boiled (save the cooking water for a soup.

soup - See below  

In all of the following recipes, the cooking method may be replaced with the aluminium foil method and baked.

Asparagus Flemish Style

Steam white asparagus spears.  Melt one tablespoon of butter per serving, add one chopped egg white per person and spoon over the spears.  Garnish with the yolk pushed through a sieve.

. . .or with a Parsley Vinaigrette and New Potatoes

This can be warm or cold.  Allow 2 tablespoons of parsley per person.  Make your favourite vinaigrette, but puree the parsley with the oil before continuing.  Classic Vinaigrette for 1/8 litre (+ - 4 servings):  2 T. wine or herbal vinegar (raspberry is also nice) salt, white pepper, 1 t. Dijon mustard, 6 T. oil.  A finely minced shallot is perfect with this.  Spoon over the white asparagus and garnish with chopped boiled egg.  Serve with boiled new potatoes.

. . .and then there is Green Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce

Spears are draped with a wide band of Hollandaise Sauce and garnished with slivers of sweet ham. Warm a few slices of mango and arrange left and right of the spears.  Delicious!

Asparagus Soup - Basic

Quick and economical, use leftover potato puree to thicken or cook a diced potato with the vegetable broth.

serves 4

500 g. green asparagus

500 ml. vegetable broth

150 ml. cream

30 ml. butter

1 sm. onion or shallot

approximately 2-3 heaping tablespoons of potato puree

salt, white pepper to taste

(1-2 tsp. sugar if substituting green for white asparagus)

Sauté finely chopped onion in the butter until soft.  Use tougher ends (and the peel if using white asparagus) and cook in a vegetable or chicken broth for 15 minutes.  Puree, then strain.  Stir in potato puree, sugar and seasoning, add tender pieces of stem and tips toward the end and cook until tender (al dente).    Whip the cream slightly.  Stir in and warm again if necessary. Garnish with a little chopped parsley or chive.  Serve immediately.

Basic Asparagus Soup Variation

serves 4

500 g. green or white asparagus

600 ml. vegetable broth

150 ml. cream

30 ml. butter

1 stalk of celery

1 sm. onion or 2 shallots

salt, white pepper to taste

1-2 tsp. sugar if using white asparagus

Proceed as above, however, add the chopped celery with the asparagus to the vegetable broth.

Asparagus Soup with Sautéed Curried Lime Shrimp

The delicate layers of flavour - the hint of lime, the tease of a touch of curry, the smoothness of the rich asparagus soup and the surprise of cilantro make for an exquisite and unique asparagus soup.  A definite favourite at the Villa.  Serve as an appetizer with a semi-dry white wine or on its own with a baguette for lunch.  Elegant, easy and quick.

serves 4

500 g. white asparagus

500 ml. chicken broth (if strong, dilute a little as it must not overpower)

150 ml. cream

30 ml. butter

2 shallots

1 garlic clove

2 tsp. sugar

salt

plus:

8 large shrimps with tails, peeled and cleaned

+ - 20 ml. butter plus a little oil  (or clarified butter)

1/2  tsp. mild curry powder

zest of a lime

lime juice

1 sprig of cilantro leaves  (or parsley) per serving

Marinate the shrimp in enough lime juice to moisten well.  Allow to marinate a few hours or at least 30 minutes.  If time is short, allow to marinate as long as you are preparing the soup.

Prepare the soup as in basic recipe, omitting the potato puree. Add the sugar and season with salt.  Use only about 3-4 cm. of the tips which you will add toward the end of the cooking time.  Cook until al dente.

Whip the cream and set aside while you melt the butter and oil (or clarified butter).  Sauté the garlic clove for 1 minute.  Add the shrimp, curry, the zest and sauté for only a few minutes (do not overcook!).   Discard the garlic.   Add the cream to the soup, (if necessary, add a little for until desired consistency) heat well and serve in deep soup plates.  Garnish with the shrimp and a few cilantro leaves.

See Recipe Collection for more recipes!

Join the update list and never miss what's new on the site!