By Florence Hillier
This season’s asparagus is hitting market stalls and supermarkets across the country, its spears taking over the shelves like a green army. This delicious vegetable, best enjoyed I think with a good dowsing of melted butter, is possibly best known for the rather unpleasant effect it has on one’s urinary system. The post-munch wee has got to be one of the worst smells, though not quite overriding the merit of the meal.
This regal vegetable, which is an excellent source of potassium and folic acid, was highly prized by the Romans as an excellent diuretic and medicine for urinary and heart related problems. So prized was it that they pioneered its cultivation, and luckily for us it’s been enjoyed ever since. King Louis XIV of France called asparagus ‘the king of vegetables’ and so enjoyed its tender spears that he devoted entire green houses to its propagation, allowing him to enjoy it in the depths of winter.
Now more about its culinary merits. Anyone who hasn’t had a chance to sample its delicate but punchy flavour should treat themselves and invest in a bunch this season. Go for bunches that are firm with a good rich green colour – light colouring or mottling suggest old stems that are not going to be the best introduction to these tasty shoots. Another thing to look at is the base – if they look dry then this another sign of age but unfortunately this can be fairly standard in supermarket spears.
The preparation is a therapeutic process. Instead of chopping off the ends it is best to hold the cut end and the base of the tip and bend till it finds its natural breaking point. This will ensure you munch only the most tender of the beast. Don’t chuck the ends – they may be a bit tougher but with a little extra cooking they are still tasty and can be added to soups, stews or if left uncooked can be peeled down into strips and added to salads for an extra crunch.
Some may have noticed white asparagus, which is too often found in tins. This is grown in the dark to prevent photosynthesis and is highly prized by the French. I’m not so convinced by these ghost like spears but they can look quite fun when mixed in with the green ones. So once you’ve chosen and prepped the spears, my motto is KISS (keep it simple stupid). The less fuss the better as far as I’m concerned.
Griddled asparagus with poached egg – serves 2 or 3 (depending on greed)
1 bunch of asparagus prepared
2 or 3 eggs
Clarified butter
I think one of the best ways to celebrate these spears is to griddle them with a little olive oil and butter. This keeps all the flavour inside and gives them a lovely smokiness.
1. Griddle the asparagus in a medium hot pan, turning occasionally to prevent burning.
2. Bring a large pan of water to the boil with a cap of vinegar and poach the eggs. It’s worth remembering that the fresher the egg the easier it will be to poach.
If you want to be super organized about this you can poach the eggs hours before. Plunge in cold water once poached. When you want to serve just plop them in boiling water for a few seconds to get them hot.
3. Place the drip-dried poached egg on the mound of gently charred asparagus, pour over the melted clarified butter and grind over some pepper.
If the poaching sounds like hard work, soft boil the egg and use the asparagus like soldiers. Similarly, if you don’t have a griddle a frying pan will do the job.
