Candelaborous
Meet the shy diva of spring vegetables (Ingredient Special on Asparagus).
Few seasonal plants grown for food in Germany and Midwestern Europe define the spring landscape as much as asparagus does. It is quite a sight to see the striped patterns cover entire vistas. Once reserved for royalty and the aristocracy, these waxy stalks — green, purple, or white — are now available to anyone willing to pay the price for hard labor and working vast patches of land. The delicate cousins of onions and leeks are quite sensitive to the touch. Therefore, basically everything concerning planting, grooming, and harvesting still needs to be done by hand.
But the shy diva is no stranger to the stage; it has been around for a while. And not only as a vegetable. Indeed, it has been mentioned in medical literature throughout the centuries — as early as ancient Rome, Greece, and China, as well as medieval Europe. Nowadays, there are countless wild and cultivated varieties of asparagus around the world. The majority of cultivated asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) is grown in Asia and the Americas. Germany especially loves asparagus. Even though it is a major producer of these vegetable ‘spears’, it consumes more asparagus than it grows.
For me, asparagus was always that light, mother-of-pearl-colored, candle-like type. It wasn’t until my university days, when I started cooking for myself, that I discovered there were green and purple varieties. They seemed exotic compared to the plain, off-white specialty I was used to from home. Now I know it’s actually the other way around. To keep asparagus white, you need to prevent the sprouts of these perennial plants from sticking out into the sun.
Of course, we take part in that special season every year. We prefer to buy goods straight from the source. For example, we buy from the farmers’ market or from one of the small stands in typical growing areas. It’s a tradition that goes way back to our childhood and has determined quite a few family festivities. “It’s asparagus time” were the magic words.
Peeling those precious white sticks was another special ritual, of course, which meant more work. You could have them peeled at the point of sale, but my parents and grandparents wouldn’t have it done that way. You have to get a feel for the vegetable, carefully and sparsely cutting off the inedible parts, cooking them ahead of time, and making the cooking stock even stronger. After all, the leftover part of that culinary process is just as important and delicious as the main dish.
Even a simple asparagus soup can be a feast. A dish worthy of kings and queens. Moreover, it is the grand finale of the annual festival for a modest star.
As they say, “It’s asparagus time.”
Side Notes:
- Here are some tips:
- We usually buy asparagus when it’s in season. Wash it to remove any sandy residue from the ground. This is especially important for green asparagus. White asparagus usually comes pre-washed and just needs a light rinse. Peel with the head pointing towards you, using a flexible-blade asparagus peeler. Peel lengthwise in close strips, being careful not to leave parts of the peel in between the shaved strips (Don’t cut yourself; if you are inexperienced, wear kitchen gloves!). These parts will turn hard and woody during cooking. Cut off just enough at the end so that there are no hard parts left. Only cut out obviously woody parts (brown and hard), not any spot.
- To cook, heat water in a tall pot. The pot should be tall enough to cook the asparagus standing up with the water reaching just below the lower rim of the heads. Yes, the heads will stick out; they are supposed to be cooked indirectly. If you don’t have an asparagus pot, a spaghetti pot will work just fine. Add a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of sugar to the water. Cook briefly until the asparagus is tender but still has a bite. Always use freshly purchased asparagus within a day or two of buying it from the market or producer (store it in the fridge).
- To preserve it, I briefly blanch the cleaned and peeled white asparagus spears in boiling water for no more than two minutes, then cool them down in very cold water (briefly dunk in) to stop the cooking process before freezing them.
- Most importantly, there is no waste when preparing or cooking asparagus. Use the pre-cleaned peel to cook before the asparagus spears (take out after cooking). Meanwhile, keep the vegetables covered in a wet cloth (a clean old dish towel is fine). This enriches the taste of the vegetables as well as the cooking stock. You will need this stock to prepare the classic asparagus soup. You can also use any broken-off (peeled) pieces and leftover spears from the meal in that soup.
- Not all asparagus is edible. If you want to grow it in your garden, buy plants from a professional grower and get solid instructions on how to cultivate it properly. Also, be mindful of the small red berries that grow on the full plant. They are toxic to humans.