It is a real delight to consume seasonal vegetables because that is when they are the richest. And arrive fresh and with the best texture and flavor in our kitchen or even directly in our dishes. Of course, when it comes to a vegetable like this, the idea is to pamper it. And control well the cooking technique with which we are going to cook it so as not to overcook it and to make it look good.
With this recipe learn to cook fresh white asparagus, they are exquisite! It is a fantastic, simple, and healthy appetizer with our step by step and tips. You will know how to get tasty and tender asparagus.
I could not resist buying some wonderful asparagus in Navarra. And in the middle of the season and without a doubt, I was clear that I wanted to cook them because that is how I like them the most. To accompany them, nothing is more classic than a little mayonnaise. But you can also use other ingredients and sauces that are especially good for them. You will see it further down in the Variations section.
If you like this recipe do not miss our vegetable section where you will find dishes as delicious as the classic vegetable stew with ham, baked cauliflower with bechamel au gratin, artichokes with ham and onion, stewed lentils with vegetables, Traditional cabbage, and potato trinxat from Cerdagne, chard sauteed with potatoes and paprika or chickpeas with spinach. This delicious vegetable tempura with tricks to make it crispy and not at all oily is also great, the marinated tofu with wok vegetables and rice, the vegetable soup, vegetable broth, or the traditional porrusalda.
They can also be served as a side dish such as the glazed and caramelized French onions, the baked zucchini with parmesan cheese, the garlic sauteed brussels sprouts with cheese sauce, the famous ratatouille or baked vegetables from the movie, the baked artichokes. The fantastic Manchego ratatouille with traditional vegetables, grilled vegetables sauteed with crispy ham, and even exotic recipes such as Chinese rice noodles sauteed with mushrooms and pak choi.
Ingredients to cook fresh white asparagus, they are exquisite! (appetizer for 4 people):
- 20 fresh white asparagus (or the amount you prefer).
- Water.
- 1 dessert spoon of sugar.
- 1 dessert spoon of salt.
Preparation, how to cook fresh white asparagus, they are exquisite!:
- Start by washing the asparagus very well with cold water as they may have some traces of earth. And drain or dry them with kitchen paper.
- Cut off the hard part at the end. If you take the asparagus and press a little from below. The asparagus itself will indicate where it begins to be more tender and you can break it with your own hands. Although you can also cut it with a knife. In the photograph below you will see how long that part is usually, around 3-5 cm.
- Peel them whole with a potato peeler, except for the tip as it is not necessary. If the asparagus is freshly harvested, removing a very thin layer is enough. But if it is not so fresh, it is better to peel it a little more than you would like so that it is tender later.
- Put abundant water with salt and sugar in a saucepan over high heat.
- When it boils add the asparagus and cook them. The time will depend on its freshness and also its thickness and usually ranges between 10 and 20 minutes.
- How do you know if they are ready? Take asparagus and if when you take it you see that it is no longer completely straight but is curved a bit (as you can see in this photograph), it is ready. Take into account their size to remove them from the water because. If they are not all equally thick, some will be ready before others. You can also take one out and cut off a little of the end part to check if it is already tender. Or simply insert the tip of a knife and notice that it goes in without difficulty.
They can be eaten warm or cold, either way, they are delicious. If you have leftovers, nothing happens, store them in a closed container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
I love to accompany them with mayonnaise, it is a classic and I think it suits them wonderfully. But with a moderate amount so as not to mask the mild flavor of the asparagus and its fantastic and tender texture. They are delicious and are a healthy and authentic appetizer… scandal!
Variants of the cooked fresh white asparagus recipe, they are exquisite!:
There are those who tie them and cook them vertically in a narrow and tall pot so that the water stays just below the yolks and that way that area, which is usually more tender than the rest, is not overcooked. This is especially useful with freshly picked asparagus.
Apart from the classic mayonnaise, just a drizzle of olive oil goes great. And also a salty touch with some anchovies, a little finely chopped smoked salmon, a little cheese. And nuts… of our homemade sauces such as almond sauce, brava sauce, mojo picon, or romesco sauce.
Advice:
As you have already seen in the recipe, to cook the asparagus in a “ perfect” way, several factors influence, so the experience is the best thing. Whether they are fresh or not influences when it comes to peeling them more or less, and that, in addition to their thickness, varies the cooking time. In the end, in order not to make a mistake. It is best to try a piece of the end to check if they are ready. And gradually remove them from the water according to their size.
Do not throw away the cooking water as you can use it as a broth to make a soup or cream. And thus enrich its flavor compared to simply using water.
Tags: white asparagus
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