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Asparagus: Spring Vegetable Recipe Ideas

The new Spring asparagus crops have come in and with the price now cheaper than it was a month ago, and the peak of the variety now readily available, a few insights into this Spring vegetable and a few recipe ideas to try out as sides or main course celebrations of the many ‘fruits’ of Springtime. 

Water makes up 93% of asparagus's composition. Asparagus is low in food energy and very low in sodium. It is a good source of vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium, and zinc, and a very good source of dietary fibre, protein, beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, thiamin, riboflavin, rutin, niacin, folic acid, iron, phosphorus, potassium, copper, manganese, and selenium, as well as chromium, a trace mineral that regulates the ability of insulin to transport glucose from the bloodstream into cells. The amino acid asparagine gets its name from asparagus, from which it was first isolated, as the asparagus plant is relatively rich in this compound.

Asparagus, as a good source of antioxidants like Vitamin A and Vitamin E, helps the body purge “free radicals,” or oxygen particles that cells produce as waste. Asparagus is rich in fibre, and may go one step further in promoting gut health. In a nonhuman clinical trial, eating cooked asparagus appeared to reduce colon inflammation in instances of colitis (inflammation of the colon). Researchers identified a flavonoid called rutin as contributing to this effect.

Asparagus is amazingly versatile: it can be steamed, simmered, roasted, battered, grilled, sautéed or wok-fried. Thinly sliced, it's even wonderful raw in a salad. The cooked spears can sport a variety of guises, from simple salt and pepper seasoning with butter or olive oil, to more complex sauces like beurre blanc.

Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) is a perennial flowering plant species in the genus Asparagus native to Eurasia. Widely cultivated as a vegetable crop, its young shoots are used as a spring vegetable.

The English word asparagus derives from classical Latin but the plant was once known in English as sperage, from the Medieval Latin sparagus. This term itself derives from the Ancient Greek: aspáragos, a variant of Ancient Greek: aspháragos. The Greek terms are of uncertain provenance; the former form admits the possibility of a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to jerk, scatter," directly or via a Persian descendant meaning "twig, branch"; but the Ancient Greek word itself, meaning "gully, chasm," seems to be of Pre-Greek origin instead.

In English, A. officinalis is widely known simply as "asparagus", or sometimes "garden asparagus". Asparagus was corrupted by folk etymology in some places to "sparrow grass"; indeed, John Walker wrote in 1791 that "Sparrowgrass is so general that asparagus has an air of stiffness and pedantry". The name 'sparrow grass' was still in common use in rural East Anglia, England well into the twentieth century.

Since asparagus often originates in maritime habitats, it thrives in soils that are too saline for normal weeds to grow. Some regions and gardening zones are better-suited for growing asparagus than others, such as the west coast of North America and other more maritime, “Mediterranean” environments. The fertility of the soil is a large factor. "Crowns" are planted in Winter, and the first shoots appear in Spring; the first pickings or "thinnings" are known as 'sprue asparagus'.

Asparagus has been used as a vegetable owing to its distinct flavour, and in medicine due to its diuretic properties and its purported function as an aphrodisiac. It is pictured as an offering on an Egyptian frieze dating to 3000 BC. In ancient times, it was also known in Syria and in the Iberian Peninsula. Greeks and Romans ate it fresh when in season, and dried the vegetable for use in winter. Emperor Augustus coined the expression "faster than cooking asparagus" for quick action.

Preparation

1. 1. Soak the asparagus in water for 5-10 minutes to draw out sand lodged in the tips. 
2. 2. To remove the woody ends, gently bend the end of each asparagus spear until it snaps naturally.
3. 3. To cook, add the asparagus to a pan of boiling water. A frying pan is best as the spears will fit easily.
4. 4. Cook for 2 minutes or until bright green.

A few recipe ideas:

Roasted asparagus 

Simply preheat the oven to 220°C, line a tray with foil or baking paper, lay the asparagus spears onto the tray, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. You can also try adding a couple of fresh cloves of garlic and a little grating of lemon zest or fresh parmesan.

An alternative is to grill the asparagus on your barbecue: 

Heat a chargrill pan or barbecue grill to high. Combine oil and garlic in a bowl. Add lemon to pan and cook for 1-2 minutes each side or until charred and just tender. Transfer to a serving plate. Drizzle asparagus with any remaining garlic oil, then sprinkle with onion, chilli and parmesan. Serve.

Asparagus Hummus with Crumbed Asparagus Fingers

Ingredients
840grams  no-added-salt chickpeas, drained
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 bunches asparagus
1/4 bunch continental parsley, chopped
2tablespoons Macro Organic hulled tahini
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup  panko breadcrumbs
1 tsp smoked paprika

Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Grease and line a baking tray with baking paper. Place half of the chickpeas on prepared tray. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil. Roast for 20 minutes or until golden. Cool.

Meanwhile, chop 2 bunches asparagus and place in a large heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water and stand for 5 minutes or until bright green. Drain and refresh under cold water. Process asparagus, remaining chickpeas, parsley, tahini, cup warm water, 2 tbs oil and garlic until almost smooth.

Whisk egg in a shallow bowl. Place breadcrumbs on a plate. Dip remaining asparagus in egg, then press into breadcrumbs to lightly coat. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook asparagus, in batches, for 1-2 minutes or until golden-brown. Spoon asparagus hummus into a serving bowl. Top with toasted chickpeas. Drizzle with remaining oil. Sprinkle with paprika. Serve hummus with crumbed asparagus.

Smoked Salmon & Asparagus hors d'oeuvre

Ingredients
3 sheets frozen puffed pastry, thawed
1/2 bunch asparagus
113g  cream cheese, softened
300mL sour cream
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 punnet dill, sprigs picked
2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2tablespoons drained baby capers
200g  sliced smoked salmon

Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Grease a 12-hole (1/3-cup) muffin tray. Cut pastry sheets into quarters (squares). Press pastry squares into prepared holes, allowing pastry to sit above rim of holes. Bake for 20 minutes or until puffed and golden-brown. Cool in tray.

Meanwhile, using a vegetable peeler, cut asparagus into long, thin ribbons. Blanch. Place cream cheese, sour cream and garlic in a bowl. Chop half of the dill and add to cream-cheese mixture. Stir to combine.

Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add capers and cook for 2-3 minutes or until crispy. Drain on paper towel.

Spoon cream-cheese mixture into pastry cups. Top with salmon, asparagus and capers. Serve sprinkled with remaining dill.

Asparagus, Spinach and Fetta quiche

Served with a crisp green salad this makes an ideal lunch.

Ingredients
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
8 asparagus spears ends removed and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cups fresh baby spinach
5 large eggs
1 cup cream
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
4 green spring onions chopped
Shortcrust Pastry for base crust – frozen will work with this dish and you will need 1-2 sheets.

Preheat the oven to 180-190 degrees c. Butter generously and then line a quiche dish with pastry and stick in freezer while you prepare the other quiche ingredients.

In a large frypan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the asparagus spears, and spinach. Cook until asparagus spears are slightly tender and spinach is wilted. Transfer spinach to a colander. Press firmly with the back of a spoon to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Stir in the feta and mozzarella cheese. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Remove quiche crust from the freezer. Place asparagus pieces, spinach, and green onions on the bottom of the crust. Pour the egg and cheese mixture over the vegetables and into the crust.

Bake the quiche for 45 minutes or until quiche is set and slightly golden brown. Let quiche stand for 15 minutes before serving.

German botanical illustration of asparagus. Original book source: Prof. Dr. Otto Wilhelm Thomé Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz 1885, Gera, Germany