Asparagus (Asparagus in Latin) - a plant in the onion family, a relative of onions, garlic, lilies.
People have a different view of this plant. Some people think that this is a green twig in a bouquet, others - a delicious dish in a French cafe, while others remember the “Korean salad” in a supermarket.
And all this about asparagus. Its fluffy branches are used to decorate flower arrangements, the shoots (shoots growing from the ground from the bulbs) are an excellent vegetable for preparing delicious dishes.
Asparagus in Russia is also called soy milk product - fuju. Korean salads are made of it, in particular, but it has nothing to do with real asparagus.
A bit of history
Asparagus has been used as a vegetable crop for over two thousand years. It was widely used in Greece, Ancient Egypt and Ancient Rome. Since the end of the 15th century, this vegetable has been grown and eaten, first in France, and then throughout Western Europe.
Asparagus was considered a delicacy and was present at the tables of the emperors of Rome, the kings of France, the pharaohs of Egypt, party leaders of Eastern Europe. Asparagus has always been more than just a vegetable dish; Numerous medicinal properties were attributed to her, which is partly true.
Young asparagus "sticks" are used in pharmaceuticals, they contain many vitamins, minerals and minerals.
In Russia, asparagus gained fame in the 18th century, but is still little grown and not well known as a vegetable.
Asparagus: Varieties
Varieties of Cultured Asparagus:
White asparagus is grown in a special way. When shoots appear on the surface of the earth they are sprinkled (spud), they are not allowed to grow under sunlight. Until recently, it was considered a delicacy and was valued very highly. Only white asparagus was served in gourmet restaurants with caviar, goat cheese, truffles.
Green asparagus is grown naturally in the sun. Currently, it is valued for its high content of nutrients and pronounced taste. This is the most common type of asparagus in modern cooking, present in the menu of gourmet restaurants in Belgium, France and Germany.
The French asparagus was invented by the French. This vegetable is a cross between a white and a green variety. White asparagus is grown for some time under the sun, acquires a purple hue before becoming green. Food lovers appreciate the purple asparagus for its peculiar bitter taste.
There is wild asparagus in nature. It grows well around the world. Wild asparagus is found in Crimea, Western Siberia, the Caucasus, the Middle East, Europe, Africa and America. It is believed that a wild vegetable is tastier and contains more nutrients.
Asparagus: cooking tips
There are many asparagus dishes: mashed potatoes, soups, desserts, salads. All recipes use boiled vegetable, white asparagus is no exception.
Recipes for making white asparagus have their own nuances:
- The stems of the vegetable must be inspected, thoroughly rinsed under a stream of cold water, especially the area with scales. If it is impossible to wash the stem head from the sand, the flakes are cut off.
- Peel the asparagus from a dense skin. This is done with great care, since even a small, uncleaned area can spoil the entire dish.
- Cut the fifth part from the bottom of the stem (if asparagus is not very fresh, then one fourth). The freshness of asparagus is determined by slice: it must be moist. Fresh vegetable is resilient and creaks.
- Tie the peeled asparagus in bundles and cook in boiling water vertically, since the lower part of the vegetable is stiffer and cooks longer. The bunch must be vertically fixed in a pan (with the help of a load) or use a special container for cooking asparagus. The lower parts of the stems are boiled in water, and the upper ones are prepared using steam.
- Asparagus is not cooked for long, about ten or fifteen minutes. Salt and a small amount of butter or vegetable oil are added to the cooking water. The cooking process must be monitored carefully so as not to digest the product into porridge.
- Properly boiled asparagus maintains a vertical position if you pick up the stem with a fork and lift it above the pan.
- After cooking, asparagus must be rinsed with cold water. A properly processed vegetable should retain its taste and useful properties, it is pleasant to crunch.
A variety of dishes are prepared from prepared asparagus. The peeled skin and cut off parts are not discarded, they are used when cooking soups and sauces.
So, white asparagus has appeared in your home supplies - how to cook such a unique product? What recipes should I use to please my loved ones with a delicious dish?
Asparagus Restaurants
White asparagus dishes are prepared in many European countries; they are not exotic or very difficult to prepare.
For example, in Romania, boiled stems are laid on a dish, after having dried on a napkin. They are served with various sauces or crushed crackers fried in melted butter.
One of the asparagus sauce recipes consists of the following products:
- chicken egg - two yolks;
- mustard - one teaspoon;
- sunflower oil - one glass;
- lemon juice - half a teaspoon (can be replaced with vinegar);
- salt to taste;
- gherkin (or a small pickle) - one thing;
- greens - parsley, tarragon, green onions (to taste).
In the container, put two chicken yolks, salt, add lemon juice, mustard, whisk with a whisk. In small portions, without ceasing to stir the yolks, pour in the sunflower oil. The mixture gradually thickens (like mayonnaise). You can use a blender to speed up the process. Finely chop the greens, gherkin, onion and pour into the prepared mixture. The sauce is ready.
Another recipe from Romanian cuisine: “Asparagus meatballs in the oven”.
It is required:
- asparagus - one kilogram;
- flour - two tablespoons;
- grated cheese - two tablespoons;
- butter - one tablespoon;
- chicken eggs - three pieces;
- sour cream - one glass
- salt to taste.
Boil asparagus, remove from boiling water, dry on a paper towel. Grind the stems using a meat grinder or blender. Add the flour, cheese, eggs, butter, salt to the resulting puree. Mix well, roll meatballs, fry in a pan. Place the balls in a baking dish, pour sour cream with a teaspoon of flour, sprinkle with cheese and put in the oven for about twenty minutes. Serve hot.
French Asparagus Puree Soup
Mashed soups are made from asparagus. These foods are healthy and low in calories.
French-style white asparagus soup is made from the following ingredients:
- water - 600 ml;
- asparagus - 500 grams;
- butter - one tablespoon;
- onions - half the onion;
- cream (20%) - half a glass;
- white bread - pieces of French baguette (to taste).
Rinse white asparagus, peel, cut into small pieces, pour water. Cook over medium heat for about twenty minutes. The stems should become soft.
Peel the onion, rinse under a stream of cold water, chop finely, fry in butter until golden brown. Add the onions to the pan with asparagus. When the vegetable becomes soft, grind the contents of the pan with a blender in mashed potatoes. In cream, add cream, salt, boil for about five minutes. Puree soup served with toasted white bread croutons.
Asparagus: pickling recipe
White marinated asparagus is prepared very simply.
To do this, you need the following products:
- asparagus - 500 grams;
- garlic - head;
- vinegar - one tablespoon;
- olive oil - two tablespoons;
- white pepper - one teaspoon;
- Dijon mustard - one tablespoon.
Wash, peel, asparagus, boil boiling water or boil in steam.
Mix olive oil with Dijon mustard, vinegar, pepper and chopped garlic (one tablespoon). Beat everything well with a whisk. Put the prepared asparagus stalks in a pan, pour the marinade, cover and put in the cold. After about three hours, the pickled vegetable will be ready
Frozen Asparagus
In Russia, not everyone can afford to eat freshly cut asparagus in the season. Of course, our skilled gardeners are already growing this vegetable in their summer cottages, but for many asparagus is exotic.
Supermarkets sell frozen asparagus (white and green). From it you can also prepare delicious and nutritious dishes.
Frozen white asparagus is prepared similarly fresh. It must be remembered that before cooking it can not be thawed, frozen shoots are placed in boiling water.
Try the next dish from frozen asparagus.
You will need:
- frozen white asparagus - one kilogram;
- a chicken egg - two pieces;
- flour - four tablespoons;
- cream - two tablespoons;
- ground almonds - 200 grams;
- lemon, orange - a few slices;
- sugar, salt, pepper - to taste
Boil asparagus in boiling water with salt, sugar, a few slices of lemon and orange. Cook for 10 or 15 minutes. Carefully remove, dry on a paper towel.
Prepare a breading. Mix flour, pepper, salt in one bowl. In the other - cream with eggs. Prepare ground almonds in the third bowl.
The cooled shoots of asparagus, first roll in flour with spices, then dip in the egg mixture and roll in almonds. Fried prepared asparagus in a pan.
The dish is served hot with slices of lemon and orange.
Conclusion
Asparagus is a vegetable that you need to know, love and cook. The subject of our article was mainly white asparagus. How to cook this product was described in detail in the material. Dishes from it are extremely useful and low-calorie. Despite the fact that asparagus is not well known in Russia and is considered a delicacy, do not neglect this vegetable. If you have the opportunity to buy (or even grow) healthy shoots, prepare a hearty and tasty dish for yourself and your loved ones (almost like in an elite European restaurant): green asparagus, purple asparagus, white asparagus - choose cooking recipes to your taste. Enjoy your meal!