Flavour feature: asparagus, an epicure’s delight

Asparagus is one delicacy that has everyone wanting to eat their greens. It has a delicate yet earthy, savoury flavour with the fresh undertones of petit pois and just the slightest, delicious hint of bitterness. Asparagus is the succulent, sweet, tender green shoot of a plant in the lily family. White asparagus has merely had sand banked around these shoots as they grow, which prevents the shoots from producing chlorophyll.

HEALTH BENEFITS

Asparagus is a nutrient-dense, well-balanced food that is high in folic acid and is a good source of potassium, fibre, vitamins B6, A and C, and thiamin.
Asparagus has no fat, contains no cholesterol and is low in sodium.
It is a rich source of rutin, a compound that strengthens capillary walls.
Asparagus contains glutathione (GSH), an important antioxidant
Asparagus is a diuretic.

Food for thought…
Some people have an asparagus allergy. If you are allergic to onions, chives and garlic, you may also be allergic to their relative, asparagus. Watch out for symptoms that include a runny nose, hives, difficulty in breathing and puffiness or swelling around the mouth and lips.

BUYING THE BEST

Thick or thin spears? This is a matter of personal taste, and each has its advantages. Fatter spears have a firmer, more substantial texture and often a stronger flavour, while thin asparagus spears are more tender and sweet. Regardless of whether they are thick or thin, the stalks should be firm and plumped up.
The fresher the asparagus, the better it tastes. You want to choose spears that are freshly picked, firm and straight. Check their age by examining the cut ends and avoiding any that look very dry, split and woody.

HOW TO CLEAN AND PREPARE ASPARAGUS

Use asparagus within a day or two after you’ve bought it for best flavour and texture.
Store in the veggie drawer of your fridge with the ends wrapped in damp paper towel, or refrigerate them upright in a jar filled with a centimetre or two of water and covered with a plastic bag.
Rinse the spears under cool water to remove any sand.
Use your fingers to snap off the tough, woody few centimetres at the bottom of each spear.
Really thick spears can have a tough outer skin. Peel the bottom portion of the stem using a veggie peeler, being careful to avoid the tips. This step is totally unnecessary for thin spears.

HOW TO COOK ASPARAGUS

Here’s our quick run-down of all the different ways you can cook asparagus. We recommend that you try them all to discover your personal favourite. Undercooked asparagus tends to be a chewy, slightly woody mouthful, while overcooked asparagus is a sad, mushy mess. Test with a fork as it cooks or (cook’s privilege) steal a spear from the pan and take a bite to test whether it is perfectly done – tender but with bite.

Roasting Preheat the oven to 220˚C. Toss the prepared asparagus spears in 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and black pepper. Arrange in a single layer on a TNS Baking Sheet or large stoneware Rectangular Dish. Arrange the prepared asparagus in a single layer and roast for 10 to 15 minutes until al dente.
Steaming Bring a pot of water to the boil, place the prepared asparagus spears in a Steamer over the boiling water, cover with a lid and steam for 3 to 5 minutes until al dente.
Boiling Arrange the prepared asparagus in the base of a large Saucepan, cover with 2cm of salted water, cover with a lid and bring to the boil for 3 to 5 minutes until al dente.
Grilling Preheat the grill. Toss the prepared asparagus spears in olive oil or melted butter to coat generously. Arrange in a single layer on a rack or griddle pan and grill for 7 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until cooked through but still crisp.
Sautéing This is best for asparagus tips or very fine asparagus spears. Simply bring 5 tbsp homemade vegetable or chicken stock to the boil in a heavy-based Frying Pan. When bubbling, add the asparagus and toss gently for 5 minutes until tender but still crisp.
Blanching This is exactly what you need to do when you’ll be serving the asparagus cold, for example, in a salad. Prepare an ice bath: fill a bowl with ice cubes and cold water. Steam or simmer the asparagus until just cooked, as above, and then plunge the hot asparagus directly into the ice bath to arrest the cooking process. Drain in a colander.

MIND YOUR MANNERS
It is considered perfectly good manners to eat asparagus with your fingers. In fact, Debrett’s – that steward of Britain’s aristocratic heritage and the arbiter of society etiquette – has a whole entry dedicated to asparagus etiquette: “Hot asparagus is usually served with melted butter or hollandaise, cold asparagus with vinaigrette. Unless asparagus is a vegetable accompaniment to a dish, or covered in sauce, it should be eaten with the fingers. The asparagus spear should be picked up towards the end of the stem, dipped in any accompanying sauce and lowered into the mouth, bite by bite. There’s no need to chew through the tough, woody ends of the stems; they should be left neatly on the side of the plate.”

RECIPES TO SAVOUR
We agree that the sensational, delicate flavour of asparagus lends itself to a ‘less is more’ approach: dress lightly cooked asparagus with lemon butter and a touch of salt and pepper and you’re in for a treat. However, asparagus can also lift any dish from the ordinary into another realm, so try out this selection of our favourite ways with asparagus.

Minestrone
Our sensational minestrone recipe simmered gently in a Cast-Iron Casserole is packed with flavour and delicious, just-cooked greens. Baby marrows, peas, blanched broad beans and trimmed asparagus spears add crunch and a punch to this Italian classic.

Asparagus and Mascarpone Gratin
This is an elegant dinner-party or special-occasion dish. It is quick and easy to make in your Buffet Casserole, which also looks so good at the table. Chopped asparagus is gently baked with diced onion and butter for just 10 minutes, before being dolloped with mascarpone cheese and finished with a rich topping of Parmesan breadcrumbs. Bake for another 10 minutes until the topping is golden and bubbling, and the kitchen is filled with its mouthwatering aroma.

Chargrilled Steak with a Fresh Herb Salsa, Roast Potatoes and Grilled Asparagus
Simple perfection, is how we describe this scrumptious meal. Sear the steaks on a piping hot Cast-Iron Grill for a few minutes until done to your liking, and then use the same grill to quickly cook the asparagus spears. Serve with a scrumptious sauce of finely chopped garlic, parsley, thyme and rosemary mixed with olive oil, with crispy roast potatoes on the side. (This cheat’s version of roast potatoes is quick and easy: boil potato quarters until just cooked, score the surface with a fork and then deep-fry until golden and crunchy.)

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