How to boil a whole asparagus
A good quality bunch of asparagus is of even thickness, firm and
feels heavy when held in the hand.
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Peel the spears of
the asparagus using an asparagus knife or potato peeling knife.
Peel green asparagus from halfway down the stalk and white
asparagus only underneath the bud. |
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Cut off 1–2 cm of the stalk from the base of the peeled asparagus and then cut the spears of asparagus so they are all the same length. |
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Heat water in an asparagus kettle, add 2 tsp of sea salt/litre, ½ lemon in slices and 1 tsp of honey or sugar. Once the water is boiling, place the asparagus carefully into the basket with the buds facing up. The water line has to be 5 cm below the buds because the buds turn tender much faster than the stalks. |
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The duration the asparagus needs to be boiled depends on its thickness and when it was harvested. Green asparagus should be boiled for 3–8 minutes and white asparagus for 10–15 minutes. Test how tender the asparagus is by sticking a potato pin or fork into it. |
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Lift the asparagus out of the water and drain. Place the drained asparagus in a warm basin covered by a cloth and serve immediately. |
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The tastiest sauce for hot asparagus is hollandaise sauce heated in a water bath, which you can season with a few teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice or orange juice. |
Or try this
- Hot melted butter, to which is added a hard boiled egg crushed with a fork and very finely chopped parsley.
- Good olive oil and four leaf balsamic vinegar.
- Pesto watered down with olive oil so it is fluid.
- Melted butter, Parmesan or Manchego flakes and air-dried ham.
- á la Polognaise, i.e. hot melted butter with light breadcrumbs roasted until they are nut brown mixed in.
- Roasted pine seeds or cashew nuts and olive oil.
Wines recommended for asparagus
- A good white wine for asparagus is Sauvignon Blanc. For example, Sauvignon Blanc wines of the Marlborough area in New Zealand have a robust, springly grass flavour with good mineral notes.
- Italian wines suitable for wine include North Italian Pinot Grigio that is crisp, acidic, and full of flavour.
- If the asparagus recipe includes more than a little bit of butter and parmesan, white Chardonnay is also a good choice.
