Tips and a few asparagus recipes for the asparagus lovers.

Hey Sweetypies, we start with some info:
The asparagus season started, in our country, in mid-April (depending on the temperature in February and March) and it ends TRADTIONAL on June 24 (the feast of Saint John). The difference between white and green asparagus ? Well, the white grow underground, green have seen the sun. The ground around the white stems is accumulated, so the shoot seeks its way to the light. White asparagus are cut underground so that they will not have time to discolor. Keep them maximum for 3 days, in a damp cloth, in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator. This white vegetable contains very few calories but is rich in vitamin C. In a special aspearagus-pot you can cook them upright. The tips are cooked faster and this way they remain still pretty solid. You don't have such a pot ? Then cut the tips off of the asparagus off, arrange the asparagus side by side in a pan with salted water and just add the tips later on. Buy asparagus of the same thickness, so they are cooked simultaneously. Fresh asparagus can be identified by their light shine. When they are no longer fresh, asparagus look rather dull. You can even hear if they are fresh, by rubbing them together. You hear a peeping sound? Then they are fresh. Flemish white asparagus must cook shorter than the foreign ones, about 6 min. cookingtime is usually plenty. Steamed under pressure they are already cooked after 2 min. As a main course, take about a dozen asparagus per person. As starter or as side dish, you take halve a dozen.






Stew with spring vegetables.

(For 4 pers., preparation: + - 40 min.)

You need:

- 1/2 bunch white asparagus, peeled

- 200 gr. potatoes

- 1 carrot, washed and peeled, cut in pieces

- 1 small broccoli, in florets

- 1 small cauliflower, in florets

- 100 gr. snow peas, washed

- 100 gr. peas (if you gone use frozen peas, then fist defrost them)

- 200 ml. cream

- 800 ml. broth

- 1 egg yolk

- Salt & pepper
- a bowl

- a cooking pot

  

Preparation:

Peel the potatoes and cut into wedges. Cut the hard ends of the asparagus, peel and cut the stalks into pieces. Bring the broth to a boil. First add the carrots and then the potatoes, let boil for 10 min. Then add the broccoliflorets, the cauliflowerflorets, the asparagus and the snow peas and let simmer for another 6 to 8 min. Add the peas at the last minute. Mix the egg yolk with the cream in a bowl. Scoop with a ladle some broth and do that in the egg yolk-cream-mixture (because otherwise in will curdle !!). Now add to the stew mixture and stir. Season with salt & pepper.

ASPARAGUS grated with BRIE.

(For 4 pers.)


You need:
- 1 bunch white asparagus, cleaned and tough ends removed
- 250 gr. brie, in slices
- walnut oil
- Some hazelnuts, chopped
- 1 stalk watercress, washed and dried
- Salt & pepper
- an asparagus pot
- a bowl
- a baking dish
- a serving plate

Preparation:

Cook the asparagus in salted water until al dente. Pat them dry and then place them, side by side, on a baking dish. Season with salt & pepper, drizzle with walnut oil and top with slices of brie. Place under the grill until the brie is melted. Mix the watercress with the chopped hazelnuts, a little walnut oil and some pepper. Dress the watercress on the plate and then lay the grated asparagus on top.

Fried ASPARAGUS.
(For 4 pers., preparation: + - 35 min.)


You need:
- 1.5 kg. white asparagus, peeled and hard ends removed
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 2 eggs
- 5 tbsp. flower
- 100 gr. panko
- Salt & pepper
- A deepfryer with oil
- A cooking pot (asparagus pot)
- a bowl
- 4 deep plates
- Paper towels

Preparation:

Cook the asparagus in salted water for 10 min. Drain and hold under cold running water. Pat dry. Beat the eggs with salt & pepper. Let the oil become hot. Mix half of the panko with thyme and rosemary. Roll the asparagus in flour and then the beaten egg. Pull then half of the asparagus through the ordinary panko. The other half of the asparagus through the seasoned panko (so you get two different flavors fried asparagus). Press lightly. Deep-fry the asparagus, in small portions at a time, until golden brown, in + - 3 min. Drain on kitchen paper. Serve with some dips to taste.

Lukewarm ASPARAGUS Salad.

(For 2 pers. if main course, for 4 pers., if starter or snack.)

You need:

- 1 kg. asparagus, peeled and tough ends trimmed

- 3 eggs, hard boiled and cut into 8

- 100 gr. soft goat cheese

- Some el. chopped chives

- Some el. chopped parsley

- butter

- Hazelnut oil

- Salt & pepper

- a pan

- a pan with lid

- a serving plate

Preparation:

Cut one half of the asparagus in pink long pieces and put aside. Cut the other half of the asparagus half as small. Bake the small pieces in butter with a little salt & pepper, until they start to brown. Let the longer pieces stew with a large knob of butter and some salt in a pan with lid, on a muted fire, until the pieces are soft. Place the long pieces of asparagus on the serving plate (keep their gravy in the pan, you can use it later for a soup). Top with alternating shorter pieces, eggs, scoops of goat cheese, chives and parsley. Drizzle with a little hazelnut oil and season with salt & pepper.

ASPARAGUS with PARSLEY Vinaigrette.

(For 4 pers.)

You need:

- 2 bundles asparagus

- 1 bunch parsley, washed, well drained, just halve of the parsley finely chopped

- 3 tbsp. white wine vinegar

- 3 tbsp. water

- 4 tbsp. olive oil

- 4 tbsp. salad oil

- 4 tbsp. cream

- 1 egg yolk

- 1 tsp. mustard

- a asparagus pot

- a bowl

- a deepfryer with oil

 

Preparation:

Heat the frying pan. Cook the asparagus al dente in the asparagus pot. Pat them dry. Deep fry half of the parsley. The other half, that you've chopped, you mix with the white wine vinegar, oil, cream, egg yolk and mustard. Serve the still lukewarm asparagus with the vinaigrette and the fried parsley.

Eat them,

The Veggie Lady
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