asparagus
With these tips, the seasonal vegetables are guaranteed to succeed
Green and white asparagus are very popular in Germany.
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The asparagus season has begun: But you can go wrong with the preparation. These are the most common mistakes.
Spring is here and with it the asparagus season has begun. Whether cooked, as a soup or in a salad: The popular seasonal vegetables are a real all-rounder and are now regularly on the table for many Germans. But be careful: a lot can go wrong when preparing the white or green asparagus.
Peel the white asparagus well
Before you can start cooking, white asparagus must be peeled generously – the peel is very hard and fibrous. Before peeling, rinse the sticks under running water and allow them to drain. Then place a peeler on the head of the asparagus spear and peel off the peel from top to bottom. Peel more generously at the lower end, as the peel is thicker there. In addition, cut off the woody ends – with very fresh sticks this is around one to two centimeters. The asparagus peels and ends don’t have to end up in the garbage can: they can easily be used to conjure up a cream soup.
It all depends on the right cooking method
Do not put the asparagus in the boiling water – otherwise the stalks will get mushy and lose their nutrients. It is best to put it in an empty saucepan and fill it with enough water to cover everything. Then take the sticks out again, add a little sugar, salt, lemon and butter to the water and bring to the boil briefly. Then put the asparagus back in and let it steep on a low level. Cooking time is around twelve minutes – but it varies depending on the thickness of the bars.
Green asparagus does not need to be peeled
Green asparagus differs not only in terms of color: it tastes nuttier than white and you don’t have to peel it. Just snap off the bottom ends to remove the woody part. A tip: If you don’t use all of the asparagus immediately, you can put the remaining stalks in a container with water. So they stay juicy longer and don’t dry out.
Green asparagus: frying instead of boiling
While you are cooking the white asparagus, the green version is perfect for the pan. To do this, fry the sticks on all sides in a little olive oil. But be careful: green asparagus cooks faster than white – five minutes are completely sufficient. The fried asparagus can also be eaten with hollandaise sauce, but is also good in salads or as an accompaniment to meat and fish.