Ingredients
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white asparagusfresh
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1 teaspoon granulated sugar
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1 piece lemonsliced
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Utensils & Assecoires
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butchers string
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vegetable peeler
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large potfor cooking
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kitchen trayto peel asparagus
Directions
Spring, or more accurately May and June, is white asparagus season throughout Europe. I’m from Switzerland, but have been living abroad for 20+ years and I truly like asparagus sautéed or grilled, in salads or as a vegetables. However, the tender white asparagus are still my most favorite.
During my apprenticeship, it was our job to peel up to 40 kg of white asparagus per day during the peak season. We had gotten pretty good at it and had a little annual competition of who could peel a crate of white asparagus the fastest and cleanest.
This is what’s so important with white asparagus, the peeling must be impeccable as the skin can not be eaten and stays tough and the cooking has to be thorough as they must be tender to develop their full taste. White asparagus and asparagus in general, are very healthy as well. They contain no fat or cholesterol, have very low sodium content, and are a good source of fiber and potassium. Asparagus are beneficial to bladder and kidney functions.
1. Buying Tips for White Asparagus
2. Storing
3. Peeling White Asparagus
4. Bundling
5. How to Cook White Asparagus
- There are asparagus steamers available, but if you do not have one, please ensure that your cooking pot is large enough that asparagus bundles have enough space to “swim” loosely.
- Bring all ingredients except the asparagus bundles to boil. Add the asparagus bundles, bring the water back to boil and lower the heat to a simmer.
- White asparagus will need to cook for 12 -19 minutes depending on the thickness of the stems. White asparagus need to be cooked soft and should not be al dente. Under cooked asparagus they will be stringy and unpleasant to eat.
- Cover the asparagus with a white kitchen towel during the cooking process. This will ensure that the asparagus are equally cooked even though they are swimming on the surface.
6. Cooling
Once the white asparagus are soft, remove them from the cooking liquid gently and place on a large tray. Cool down the stock over ice or in a blast chiller and store them in the cool cooking liquid covered with a moist towel.
7. White asparagus recipes suggestions
- Check out our white asparagus with seared scallops recipe.
- White asparagus can be served chilled as part of a salad, with herb vinaigrette, with Parma ham or air dried meats. Click here for our Asparagus and Prosciutto Bites with Reduced Balsamic recipe. (can be cooked with white asparagus as well).
- To serve the asparagus warm, saute them gently in little butter and heat them through by adding a little of the original cooking liquid. Click here for our Truffle Marinated Asparagus.
- They are excellent with hollandaise, grilled seafood or roasted veal. Check out our peppered tuna salad with grilled asparagus recipe or char grilled asparagus with roasted almonds.
