How can anyone look at a spear of asparagus and not get excited? A flacid, wrinkled, out of season spear imported from South America doesn’t do it for me but with May being the start of the British asparagus season, I can’t help but feel enlivened!
My early memories of asparagus take me back to 1980′s New Zealand when, at church morning teas, there was always a plate of the innocous tinned asparagus wrapped in a strip of plain white bread. Not something to write home about! Thankfully I joined the New Zealand Chefs’ Association once I embarked on my career and was invited to an award luncheon. While I was not in line for a gong, spoon or paper weight, I was to experience a shift of perception regarding stinky-pee ‘sparrow’s guts’. This came in the form of seven perfectly steamed spears of bright green goodness, wrapped in crisp pancetta and draped in a velvet curtain of hollandaise sauce.
What a revelation! It was sweet, flavoursome and crunchy with the saltiness of the pancetta seasoning to perfection, to be cut by the gentle acid of the hollandaise. From then on it has become a love affair with this ultimate seasonal vegetable. Asparagus, both green and white, finds its way onto nearly all my Summer menus and it has proved a fail-safe dish that sells more consistently than practically any other vegetable.
Benefits
Did you know that asparagus is regarded as a ‘super food’?
Aside from having amongst the highest levels of folic acid of all vegetables, asparagus also rates as a heavy-weight fighter of heart disease and cancer, as well as boosting your immune system. It is also a good source of potassium, dietary fibre and rutin, an antioxidant that helps to prevent free-radicals forming. Amongst other benefits, asparagus may also boost your sex drive, is a source of vitamin C, is a mild diuretic helping to detoxify the body and is great for weight loss with less than four calories per spear.
What do I do with it?
The preparation of asparagus dates from Greek, Roman and Egyptian times where it was bolied when in season and dried for the off-season. Nowadays it is available all year round through importing in the off-season but is infinitely better when freshly picked in it’s prime. To check for freshness, the tips of the spears should be pointed, firm and not at all mushy. The bottoms should not be too woody – this mainly happens late in the season. Grip the tip and bottom of the spear and gently bend until it snaps naturally. Discard the bottom (or use for asparagus stock for a risotto or soup) and steam the tip for 2-3 minutes or until tender but with a satsfying crunch. If using for a salad, plunge the cooked spears into iced water immediately after cooking, otherwise serve immediately.
Steamed asparagus is perfect with a little sea salt and fresh garlic; blanketed under hollandaise sauce; dressed in olive oil with shaved parmigianno reggiano or in a risotto or soup. It is also fantastic chargrilled, served in a salad or wrapped in pancetta or bresaola.
When recently asked to write an antipodean canape menu to match with a selection of fine Kiwi and Aussie wines, I couldn’t resist putting ‘Asparagus in Bread’ on it, albeit with a twist. Here’s my version:
Asparagus & Aioli Rolls – serves 4
8 spears of asparagus
4 slices medium white bread
100ml aioli
1. Trim the asparagus slightly longer than the diagonal width of the bread. Steam 2-3 minutes and refresh immediately in a bowl of iced water. Allow to cool and drain well, patting dry on a paper towel.
2. Lightly spread the aioli on the bread, right to the edges. Remove the crusts of the bread.
3. Place the asparagus in the bread on the diagonal and roll up.
4. Leave the rolls on a tray with the loose flap of bread on the bottom. Cover with a damp tea towel until ready to serve.
5. Cut the rolls in half and serve.
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