Contents
It’s hard to believe, but this vegetable is more than 2500 years old. His great admirers were Julius Caesar, Louis XIV, Thomas Jefferson and even Leo Tolstoy. Ordinary mortal gourmets are also happy to lean on asparagus. In many countries, festivals are held in honor of this vegetable, and in Germany, the king and queen of asparagus are chosen every year. What did she do to deserve such recognition? What makes it different from other vegetables? How to cook asparagus? Let’s talk about everything in detail in our article.
Salad from the garden
Asparagus can be eaten raw, but most often it is boiled in salted water, be sure to add vegetable or butter. Since the lower part of the stems is tougher, they are cooked in an upright position. To do this, they are tied in a tight bundle and put a weight in the middle. The finished asparagus is doused with cold water — so it will retain its rich color and will crunch appetizing on the teeth. We offer you to try the recipe for salad with asparagus.
Ingredients:
- green asparagus — 300 g
- radish — 5-6 pcs.
- egg — 1 pc.
- butter — 1 tsp.
- sugar-0.5 tsp.
- lettuce – 1 bunch
- olive oil — 2 tbsp.
- lemon juice — 2 tbsp. l.
- dijon mustard — 1 tsp.
- honey — 1 tsp.
- salt and black pepper – to taste
We wash each stalk of asparagus, clean it from hard fragments and the upper skin. We cook them with the addition of salt, butter and sugar for 10 minutes, then dip them in ice water. We dry the stems, cut them into small fragments. We tear the salad leaves with our hands and cover the plate. Spread the asparagus and radish chopped into thin circles on top. Lightly salt and pepper, pour everything with a dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, mustard and honey. The final touch-decorate the salad with halves of boiled eggs.
The strawberries are ripe
Asparagus is not only green. It is grown underground, and in one day the shoots can grow by 15-20 cm. If you dig them out of the soil without letting them break through to the surface, the color will be white. If you let the stems germinate, hold them under the sun for a while and only then cut them off, they will acquire a purple color. And if you leave them under the warm rays for a longer time, they will soon turn green. Gourmets claim that white asparagus in salad recipes can not be compared with anything.
Ingredients:
- white asparagus — 300 g
- fresh strawberries-150 g
- leaf salad-a bunch
- dried pine nuts — 2 tbsp. l.
- hard cheese — 50 g
- sugar — 3 tbsp. l.
- light balsamic vinegar — 1 tsp.
Boil the asparagus until softened with 1 tsp sugar and 1 tsp butter. We dry the stems on a paper towel, chop them into large fragments. We dry the washed strawberries and cut each berry in half, tear the lettuce leaves with our hands, and three hard cheese on a grater or crumble by hand. The remaining butter is melted in a saucepan. We dissolve sugar and balsamic in it. Constantly stirring with a spatula, we keep the mixture on low heat until it turns into caramel. We put lettuce leaves, asparagus, cheese and strawberries mixed on a plate, pour the sauce over them, and sprinkle pine nuts on top.
A royal sandwich
In Europe, Louis XIV had a hand in popularizing asparagus. He ordered to equip a special greenhouse at the palace so that it would be possible to grow his favorite vegetable throughout the year. After that, asparagus was called the food of kings. So a sandwich with her participation can be considered quite royal.
Ingredients:
- round grain loaf — 1 pc.
- green asparagus — 200 g
- lightly salted salmon-150 g
- cottage cheese — 60 g
- cherry tomatoes — 5-6 pcs.
- radish — 2-3 pcs.
- olive oil — 1 tbsp.
- salt, black pepper — to taste
First of all, we boil the asparagus, put it in a colander and let the excess moisture drain. The cooled stems are chopped into 2-3 parts. Cut the grain bun lengthwise, sprinkle with olive oil, brown a little in a frying pan. We cut the radishes into thick circles, and the tomatoes into quarters. We lubricate the halves of the buns with cottage cheese, spread the asparagus stalks, slices of tomatoes and radishes. Salt and pepper the vegetables to taste. These sandwiches are ideal for a spring picnic.
Soup for a beautiful figure
Asparagus is a faithful assistant for those who actively get themselves in shape for the beach season. The caloric content of one stalk is 4 kcal. Asparagus is easily digested by itself and helps other products to digest. In addition, it accelerates the metabolism, eliminates edema, takes care of the health and beauty of the skin. The recipe for asparagus soup will help to test the effect in practice.
Ingredients:
- green asparagus — 300 g
- vegetable broth-100 ml
- olive oil — 1 tbsp.
- coconut milk — 50 ml
- shallots — 1 head
- salt, black pepper, nutmeg — to taste
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and pass the chopped shallots into small cubes until golden brown. Chop the asparagus stalks into fragments, fry with onions for 2-3 minutes, pour hot broth. We leave some of the upper parts of the shoots for feeding. Bring the broth to a boil, cook the asparagus over low heat until completely softened. Now let the soup cool down a little and thoroughly puree it with an immersion blender. Pour the heated coconut milk into a saucepan, bring it to a boil again, season everything with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Serve the cream soup, decorating each portion with asparagus buds.
Shrimp in the white Sea
Be careful when choosing asparagus. In natural conditions, it is grown from April to the end of June. The rest of the time, you have to be content with vegetables from greenhouses. When buying fresh asparagus, carefully inspect the stems. They should be smooth, shiny, with tightly closed heads. If you rub them together, they will creak. It is advisable to eat fresh asparagus immediately. Or cook another soup, this time from white asparagus with shrimp.
Ingredients:
- white asparagus — 400 g
- onion — 1 head
- garlic-2-3 cloves
- shrimp — 20-25 pcs.
- cream 33 % – 200 ml
- butter — 1 tbsp. l.
- olive oil — 2 tbsp.
- salt, black pepper — to taste
- young peas in pods — for serving
Melt the butter in a saucepan, pass the onion with garlic. The prepared asparagus stalks are cut into fragments, some are left for serving. The rest is put in a saucepan and, stirring often, lightly fry. Pour in a little water so that it covers the stems, simmer under the lid until softened.
When the asparagus cools down, turn it into a puree with a blender. Gradually pour in the hot cream and gently bring to a boil. We peel the shrimps from the shell and, together with the postponed slices of asparagus, brown them in olive oil. Before serving, decorate a plate with cream soup with shrimp with asparagus and green pea pods.
Asparagus in the arms of bacon
The culinary possibilities of asparagus are endless. White asparagus is canned and served as an independent snack. Green asparagus is good as a side dish for grilled meat. If you add it to a regular omelet for breakfast, it will sparkle with new taste facets. And asparagus goes well with bacon. Here is a simple and quick recipe for baked asparagus, which you can treat yourself and unexpected guests.
Ingredients:
- green asparagus — 20 stalks
- bacon — 100 g
- olive oil for greasing
- sesame — 1 tsp.
We wash the asparagus well, put it in boiling water for 5 minutes, then take it out and dry it. We cut the bacon into thin strips 1.5-2 cm wide. We wrap strips around each asparagus stalk in a spiral. Grease the baking sheet with olive oil, spread the asparagus in the bacon and put it in the oven preheated to 200 °C for 5 minutes. Then we turn the stems on the other side and stand for the same amount. Serve this snack hot, sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Red fish, green shores
Asparagus, among other things, is an incredibly useful product. The active substances contained in it strengthen the heart, nourish connective and bone tissues, remove toxins, have a beneficial effect on the work of the kidneys and liver. Asparagus has been known as an aphrodisiac since ancient times. The Greeks had a tradition of decorating the costumes of the newlyweds with wreaths of asparagus. And in France, the newlyweds were served three dishes with this vegetable. Baked salmon with asparagus is quite suitable for a romantic dinner.
Ingredients:
- salmon steak — 4 pcs.
- green asparagus — 1 kg
- olive oil — 3 tbsp.
- lemon zest — 1 tsp.
- lemon juice — 1 tbsp. l.
- lemon — 0.5 pcs.
- garlic — 2 cloves
- cherry tomatoes — 8 pcs.
- provencal herbs, salt, black pepper — to taste
We wash and dry the fish steaks well. We remove the hard parts from the asparagus stalks, also wash and dry them. Mix olive oil with lemon zest and juice, add crushed garlic, herbs of Provence, salt and black pepper. Pour the marinade over the fish with asparagus and let it soak for 10-15 minutes. We cover the baking dish with foil, spread the asparagus first, then the salmon. We put lemon mugs on top, and cherry tomatoes on the sides. Put the mold in the oven at 200 °C for about 15 minutes. By the way, this recipe is also suitable for grilling.
Pie with vitamins
The asparagus family has a lot in common with the lily family. So it turns out that asparagus is a close relative of onions and garlic. If you like unsweetened pastries with onion filling, you can experiment a little and make quiche loren-an open pie with asparagus. It feels great in baking and gives it a subtle aroma.
Ingredients:
Dough:
- flour-165 g
- butter — 100 g
- salt-0.5 tsp.
- ice water — 3 tbsp. l.
Filling:
- green asparagus — 300 g
- ham — 100 g
- egg — 3 pcs.
- pecorino cheese-100 g
- cream 20 % – 400 ml
- salt, black pepper, nutmeg — to taste
We rub the frozen dough on a grater, rub it into a crumb with flour and salt. Pour in the water and knead the dough. We tamp it into a baking dish, make neat sides and send it to the oven at 180 °C for 15 minutes.
We remove the hard parts from the asparagus stalks, chop them into fragments, blanch them in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Cut the ham into cubes. For filling, beat the eggs with salt and spices, add cream and grated pecorino. In the baked base, spread the asparagus with ham, fill with filling and return to the oven for another 40 minutes. Let the quiche lorena cool and only then serve.
Pizza inspired by spring
Italians love asparagus and add it wherever possible. It harmoniously complements the assorted vegetables in the traditional minestrone soup. It becomes a highlight of pasta with salmon in a creamy sauce. And frittata with asparagus, white onion and parmesan-just lick your fingers. We offer another recipe with spring vegetables in an Italian way. Namely, pizza with feta, cherry tomatoes and asparagus.
Ingredients:
Dough:
- water — 100 ml
- dry yeast-0.5 tsp.
- flour-150 g
- olive oil — 1 tbsp. l. + for greasing
- sugar-0.5 tsp.
- salt-a pinch
Filling:
- asparagus — 300 g
- mozzarella cheese-150 g
- soft sheep’s cheese-50 g
- cherry tomatoes, red and yellow-5-6 pcs.
In warm water, we dilute the sugar and yeast, leave it to foam for 10-15 minutes. Then add the vegetable oil, sift the flour with salt and knead the dough. Cover it with a towel in a bowl and leave it in the heat for 40 minutes, so that it increases in volume.
We chop off the hard parts of the asparagus stalks, blanch a little in boiling water, cut into oblique slices. Cherry tomatoes are chopped in half, mozzarella is coarsely three. Roll out the dough into an oblong layer, lubricate with olive oil. First, we spread the mozzarella in a dense layer, then asparagus, tomatoes and sheep’s cheese in any order, salt and pepper to taste. Bake the pizza in the oven at 200 °C for about 15-20 minutes.
You can easily repeat all these recipes for cooking asparagus in your kitchen. This vegetable does not require complex heat treatment and is harmoniously combined with almost all products. If the proposed menu is not enough, you will find more interesting ideas on the website “Eating at Home”. And if your culinary piggy bank has its own specialties with asparagus, tell us about them in the comments.