prepare it well, cook it and its benefits

It is the star of spring. with l’arrival of good weatherwhite asparagus invades it stalls of greengrocers, To our greatest delight! But how to cook white asparagus ? We explain how cook them wellWhat is virtues and advantage of this vegetable.

History and characteristics of white asparagus

Asparagus was cultivated and highly valued inantiquitya little forgotten it reappears in the Renaissance, and was for a long time reserved for the richest gourmets. It is said that Henry III reserved it for his favourites, and that Louis XIV demanded it on his table all year round. It is from the XIX century^e century that its culture spread and that it began to become more democratic, especially in Paris region, then in the Loire Valley, Alsace and Aquitaine. Asparagus from Landes even benefits from an IGP (Protected designation of origin).

Perennial herbaceous plant of liliaceae familyAsparagus contains an underground stem and appreciates sandy, light, deep and well-drained soils. She pushes protected from light (hence its color) and the producers make mounds of earth to deprive them of the sun for a longer period of time. It is harvested using a hollow as soon as it emerges from the ground. Very delicate, it is the most consumed variety of asparagus (it represents more than 70% of production).

When should you eat white asparagus?

It is quite short and lasts about two months, dApril to June.

White Asparagus Calories and Nutrition Facts

With less than 20 calories per 100g of white asparagus is a food of very low energy intakebut which has a high nutrient density, so there are good proportions of vitamin Cas well as provitamin A and vitamin Ewith strong antioxidant power.

It is also very well equipped with minerals, i.a magnesium (genuine natural anti-stress), potassium and iron. White asparagus is also characterized by its diuretic effect (even when you consume quite a bit), and with its good fiber content, which stimulates and regulates intestinal passage, it brings another asset. folate (vitamin B9), especially important for the immune system, but also for quercetin, a flavonoid with antioxidant properties and anti-inflammatory agents.

On the other hand, we have never been able to demonstrate its aphrodisiac properties!

Choose asparagus very stiff, smooth and shinyand check that the buds are tight, The break at the base must be clean and juicy, Prefer large caliber asparagus, often tastier than small ones!

Fragile, asparagus cannot be stored for more than two to three days, wrapped in a clean, damp clothin the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator.

start with remove the asparagus stalk because it is the stringiest part (not very pleasant to taste) peel it from the head downwards using a economic knife (but there are also curved knives specially designed for asparagus). To be effective, hold the asparagus flat on the work surface and start approximately 10 cm from the tip.

Remember to remove the bottom of the asparagus, which is the thickest part. stringy, therefore not very pleasant to taste.

When they are rinsed, you can tie them in bundles and cook in salted boiling water for about twenty minutes (check the doneness with the tip of a knife). To avoid them becoming a bit bitter, don’t hesitate to add a pinch of sugar in the boiling water. Another possibility, the steam cooking (in a pressure cooker, or even better, in the steam basket of a Thermomix or a Cookeo-type robot), which also gives very good results and prevents the asparagus from becoming watertight.

Asparagus is excellent eaten as is, with a vinaigrette, mousseline sauce or cottage cheese and chive sauce. Their very slightly sweet scent is irresistible! We love them in soups and creamy soups, but also in risotto or fresh pasta. To think outside the box, dare frying panfor example with spring onions.