Asparagus time 2023
Peeling asparagus: This is how you get the best out of the royal family
Finally asparagus time again!
Peeling and cooking asparagus is very easy – with the tips of the cooking professionals from the BRIGITTE kitchen. We show you step by step in the video.
Contrary to popular belief, peeling asparagus is not absolutely necessary in any case. It all depends on the asparagus. White Asparagus, also known as white asparagus, must always be carefully peeled. Otherwise, its fibrous, hard shell spoils the taste and causes many problems when eating. Therefore: Always peel white asparagus.
On the other hand, it looks different green asparagus or green asparagus. Here you can only take a rough look whether there are still hard or woody spots on the asparagus spears that you want to remove. There is no harm in peeling green asparagus, especially in the lower third. Otherwise, the skin of green asparagus is much softer than that of white asparagus – and can simply be eaten. This is especially true when the asparagus is very fresh.
Peel asparagus – this is how you do it right
- Before peeling the asparagus once rinse under running water and let drain briefly. Caution: Never put asparagus spears in water. You soak yourself full and that’s it with the asparagus enjoyment.
- Then start peeling. Note that white asparagus always from the top down is peeled, means peeling from the asparagus head over the entire length of the asparagus spear towards the end of the cut. Be careful not to cut too deep and peel the asparagus thinly. The best way to do this is with an asparagus peeler, but you can also use a knife if necessary.
- Apply a little more pressure from the lower third so that the asparagus is peeled thicker there, because towards the end the spears often become even woodier.
- Sometimes there are single ones woody “eyes”which should be removed separately with a knife.
- The woody asparagus ends must then be completely cut off at the end, it is better not to cut away before peeling, because this makes it more difficult to see the woody threads. With very fresh asparagus, it is sufficient to cut off 1-2 cm. If the asparagus has been lying around for a while, take away 4-5 cm. If you notice that long fibers can still be pulled off, you should peel again.
Important: Don’t be too squeamish about peeling the asparagus. On the contrary: If you peel too sparingly, you will ruin the whole asparagus dish. Make sure you don’t forget any spot. Do not throw away the shells afterwards. They make a great asparagus broth, which is suitable as a basis for a delicious cream of asparagus soup – here is the recipe for asparagus soup made from shells.
Tip for storing fresh asparagus
If you put a damp cloth over the asparagus spears and store them in a cool place, they will stay fresh for a long time. But you can also freeze the asparagus to be on the safe side and then put them in boiling water directly in the frozen state. Alternatively, asparagus can also be boiled down. You can find out all this and much more in our topic of cooking asparagus – we explain, for example, why asparagus can taste bitter. We also have many delicious asparagus recipes for you. In addition, we explain how you can peel rhubarb, open a pomegranate or peel boiled potatoes.