Do you like the fine, aromatic and distinctive taste of asparagus? If the thought makes your mouth water, you'll want to cook these tender vegetables every day now that spring is here. You can enjoy the delicious spring vegetables without guilt between April and June 24th. Of course, the noble vegetables taste best fresh from the field. You can find out how to cook asparagus in the following article. We also offer you selected tasty and fine recipes that will pamper your taste buds.
Peel the vegetables properly
Green and white asparagus can be prepared in a variety of ways. Before you cook the healthy and fresh seasonal vegetables, you must first wash and peel them both thoroughly. If you want to prepare the white variety, you must carefully remove the fibrous, solid shell. You can achieve the fastest and best results with a special peeler. Commercial peelers also serve these purposes. First, cut off about a centimeter from the bottom third of the rod.
The heads of white asparagus are very tender and fine and for this reason are not peeled. Peel the vegetables 1-2 cm below the head to the end of the stick. With the green variety you only have to remove the peel in the lower third. The thin peel is also eaten. Do not throw away the cut ends and peels. They can be boiled, strained and the cooking water can be used for soups or sauces. You can also use the water in which the delicious asparagus was prepared.
How long do you cook asparagus
Some people prefer the vegetables to be firm to the bite, while others prefer them to be soft. The green variety has a shorter cooking time than the white one. When it comes to cooking time, the general rule is that the thicker the asparagus is, the longer it should be cooked. Depending on the thickness of the sticks, the cooking time is between 10 and 20 minutes.
If you choose a different preparation method, such as steaming or frying, you will need about 12 minutes for the white ones and about 8 minutes for the green ones. If you would like to prepare the vegetables in the oven, the white asparagus are cooked to perfection for 45 minutes and the green ones for 30 minutes. You can test the cooking by lifting the pieces out of the water with a fork and see how much the rod bends. The larger the curvature, the softer the vegetable is.
Whether you cook the delicious sticks lying down in a normal pot or use a special pot and cook the vegetables standing up is completely up to you. In a tall pot, only half of the stalks are in the water. The heads cook in steam and do not become mushy. To make it easier for you to take it out after cooking, you can bundle 500 grams with kitchen twine.
Ingredients for preparation
Surely every good chef has his own compelling philosophy about preparing this delicacy correctly. There needs to be a pinch of salt in the cooking water, and not just for taste. The asparagus is rich in vitamins and trace elements and the salt reduces the leaching effect of the water. The noble vegetable contains vitamin C, B vitamins, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, iodine, zinc and fluorine. Cook the vegetables in enough water to just cover them. This means that healthy substances are preserved. You can add a heaped teaspoon of salt per liter of water.
You can also add a pinch of sugar to the cooking water to neutralize any bitter substances that may be present. It is recommended to add a teaspoon of butter to the cooking water. The butter enhances the taste. If you want the sticks to be bright white, you can add a splash of lemon juice to the water. Add all of these ingredients to the water and bring it to a boil. Only then put the vegetables in.
It is best to serve the cooked asparagus on preheated plates. The sticks should be hot, but need to evaporate briefly before being placed on the plate. Otherwise the sauce will be watered down and no longer combine well with the vegetables.
The microwave as a preparation method
You can also quickly cook asparagus in the microwave. Moisten a few sheets of kitchen paper well and generously wrap the cleaned vegetables in them. Place the package in the microwave for two and a half minutes at 600 watts. This means that the delicious vegetables are gently cooked in just a matter of minutes. You can also cook whites in a microwave-safe bowl. Add oil. Salt and a little sugar on the sticks and add a little water or white wine. Cook the vegetables under the lid for about 4-7 minutes.
In packets with orange-lime hollandaise
Below we offer you a recipe for oven-baked asparagus with orange-lime hollandaise. For 4 servings you will need:
- 1 kg Spargel
- 4 TL Butter
- 4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp sugar
For the hollandaise:
- 100g butter, melted
- 4 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp egg yolk
- 4 tbsp orange juice
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- Salt and pepper
Spread the peeled vegetable pieces on a large piece of aluminum foil and add salt, sugar and 1 teaspoon of butter on each. Seal the packages and bake at 180 degrees for about 30 minutes. In the meantime, mix the water with the egg yolks and the orange and lemon juice. Place the liquid on the stove and quickly stir in the butter. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Arrange the asparagus with the hollandaise sauce on the hot plates.
Mixed asparagus fried crispy
You need:
- 800 g mixed green and white asparagus
- 4 slices bacon, diced
- 75 ml chicken stock
- 30 g Butter
- 1 shallot
- Parsley or chervil leaves
- Peanut oil for frying
- soy sauce
Cut the peeled asparagus into diagonal slices and fry until hot. Add the finely chopped shallots, butter and bacon. As soon as the asparagus have taken on some color, deglaze with some of the broth and toss. Add just enough stock to create a light sauce. Arrange on hot plates and garnish with parsley.
How to cook soup
Ingredients:
- 1 kg Spargel
- 1 liter vegetable stock
- 250 ml Sahne
- 250 g Creme Fraiche
- 8 sprigs of dill
- Salt and pepper
For the salmon balls:
- 200g salmon
- 2 Owner
- 80 breadcrumbs
- 3 sprigs of chervil
- 1 tsp sugar
First cook the finely chopped asparagus with the stock and sugar for about 15 minutes and add finely chopped dill. Then puree everything and season with salt and pepper. Add half the cream with the crème fraîche and bring everything to the boil again. Whip the rest of the cream. To make the fish balls, put the fish fillet through the meat grinder twice. Then mix all the ingredients and form dumplings. Cook the balls in the water until they rise to the top. Place the finished salmon balls in a deep plate and pour the soup on top. Garnish with some whipped cream and dill.
FruitierAsparagus salad with quinoa, nectarines and raspberries
The aromatic asparagus also taste wonderful as an asparagus salad. The following recipe promises a wonderfully fruity enjoyment and will provide fresh variety on the salad buffet. For 4 servings you will need:
- 500 g green asparagus
- 200 g Quinoa
- 150g raspberries
- 2 Nectarine
- 4 tbsp sunflower oil
- 50 g Cashewkerne
- 1 lime
- 1 bunch of parsley
- 1-3 EL Obsessing
- Salt and pepper
Wash the quinoa well and cook in salted water. Halve the peeled asparagus and then cut them crosswise again. Roast the cashews in 2 tablespoons of oil, then remove them and fry the asparagus in the same pan for about 4 minutes. Finely chop the parsley and slice the nectarines. For the marinade, whisk 4 tablespoons of lime juice with 2 tablespoons of oil and season with salt and pepper. Mix the finished marinade with the quinoa and fold in the remaining ingredients. Season with vinegar, salt and pepper to taste
How to cook asparagus - asparagus salad with goat's cream cheese and mango
For this tasty asparagus salad you need:
- 1 kg of green asparagus
- 200 g goat's cream cheese
- 1 ripe mango
- 2 red onions
- 1 red chili pepper
- 1 tsp sugar
- Juice of 2 limes
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 8 tbsp rapeseed oil
- grated zest of one lime
- some brown sugar
- Salt and pepper
Cook the asparagus in boiling salted water with sugar for 6-8 minutes. Cut the mango into slices and the onions into thin strips. Mix the asparagus, onions and mango pieces. Clean the chili pepper, remove the seeds and cut into small pieces. To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the scotch, lime juice and zest, vinegar, salt, pepper and brown sugar and then add oil. Mix the dressing into the salad and let it steep briefly. Arrange the salad on a plate and sprinkle crumbled cream cheese over it. Garnish with lime slices.
