seasonal vegetables
With these seven tips, you can enjoy asparagus
White asparagus grows below the ground, while green asparagus grows above the ground.
© Eurybia/Shutterstock.com
The asparagus season has begun, but there are a number of things that can go wrong during preparation. Enjoy with these life hacks.
Spring heralds the asparagus season. Whether boiled, as a soup or in a salad: the popular seasonal vegetable is now regularly on the table for many Germans. But beware: A lot can go wrong when preparing the white or green asparagus. With these life hacks, enjoying asparagus becomes a success.
Freshness test when shopping
The fresher the asparagus, the better it tastes. But how do you recognize that? Visually at the tips: these are closed with fresh asparagus. Moist interfaces and light scratching with a fingernail also indicate freshness. If that’s not enough, the squeak test will help: if the sticks squeak when rubbed together, the vegetables are fresh.
Store asparagus properly
Asparagus does not tolerate long storage times and should be prepared as soon as possible. The freshness can be extended by about a day or two by wrapping the spears in a damp cloth. If the asparagus looks a bit wilted, you can put it in cold water for two hours before preparing it. This makes it crunchy again and easier to peel.
Peel the white asparagus very well
White asparagus is particularly popular with Germans. Before cooking, “the white gold” has to be peeled generously – the peel is very hard and fibrous. Rinse the stalks under running water and drain before peeling. Then place a peeler on the top of the asparagus spear and peel off the peel from top to bottom. Peel more generously at the bottom as the peel is thicker there. Also cut off the woody ends – about one to two centimeters for very fresh sticks. But the asparagus shells and ends don’t have to end up in the trash can: you can easily conjure up a creamy soup from them.
It depends on the right cooking method
Do not put the asparagus in boiling water – otherwise the spears will become mushy and lose their nutrients. It is best to put it in an empty pot and fill it with enough water to cover everything. Then take the sticks out again, add some sugar, salt, lemon and butter to the water and let it boil briefly. The lemon prevents the asparagus from turning gray during cooking. Then put the asparagus back in and let it simmer on a low level. The cooking time is about twelve minutes – but varies depending on the thickness of the sticks.
The perfect hollandaise sauce
Hollandaise sauce is a classic accompaniment to white asparagus. The tasty sauce is quick to make yourself, but requires some skill. Only three basic ingredients are required for the classic basic recipe (three to four servings): four egg yolks, 125 grams of butter and two to three tablespoons of white wine. Slowly melt the butter in a small saucepan on the stove. Meanwhile, in a metal bowl over a hot water bath, mix the yolks with the white wine, a tablespoon of water, a pinch of salt and sugar with a whisk until a yellow cream forms. Then slowly stir in the melted butter with the whisk until a creamy sauce forms. Finally, season with salt, pepper and lemon juice and serve immediately.
For a vegan version, replace the butter with plant-based butter and melt with two tablespoons of flour on the lowest setting, stirring well. Then pour in 100 milliliters of vegetable stock and bring to the boil briefly. Turn the heat down and add 100 milliliters of plant-based cream, white wine and a teaspoon of mustard and mix well. Refine with lemon juice, salt and pepper, then simmer for five to ten minutes and season to taste.
Green asparagus does not need to be peeled
Green asparagus differs not only in color: It tastes nuttier than white and you don’t have to peel it. Because it grows above ground, unlike white asparagus, it contains more vitamin C and carotene. It is enough to snap off the bottom ends to remove the woody part. A tip: If you don’t use all of the asparagus right away, you can place the remaining spears in a container with water. They stay juicy longer and don’t dry out.
Green asparagus: roast instead of boil
While you are cooking the white asparagus, the green variant is perfect for the pan. Fry the sticks on all sides in a little olive oil. But be careful: green asparagus cooks faster than white ones – five minutes is enough. The fried asparagus can also be eaten with Hollandaise sauce, but is also good in salads or as an accompaniment to meat and fish.