Along with purple asparagus, we will feature white, green, and green anthocyanin-free varieties with the theme ‘Colourful tasting Asparagus’, also aimed at promoting asparagus to 'younger' consumers.
Purple asparagus salad
Ingredients
1 bunch Purple salad asparagus Erasmus
1 bag mixed lettuce, including rocket
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Cut the purple asparagus into pieces, per spear in three. Put the mixed lettuce in a bowl, add 3/4 of the asparagus. Add olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with the rest of the purple asparagus. Preparation time: 10 min.
Asparagus soup
Ingredients
40 g butter, 40 g flour
8 dl chicken stock, 400 g asparagus
3 egg yolk, 1 dl cream
Method
Peel the asparagus and cut into 2 cm pieces. Blanch for about 4 minutes and drain. Braise the asparagus for about 10 minutes in the butter. Add the flour and cook over low heat for two minutes, then gradually add the stock and bring to the boil. Blend the mix to a smooth soup with a hand blender. Reduce temperature to the lowest setting, and allow to cool for a couple of minutes. Beat 3 egg yolks with 1 dl of cream and whisk into the soup, (with pan of fire). Season with salt and pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg to taste. Preparation time: 10 min.
Asparagus Salad
Ingredients
300 g purple asparagus Erasmus
40 g green lettuce, 2 hard boiled eggs, 40 g smoked bacon, diced, cooked and cooled
2 tbsp mayonnaise, 2 tbsp natural yogurt, 1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp pine nuts, salt and pepper to taste
Method
Cut the eggs with an egg slicer into small pieces. Combine the yoghurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, bacon pieces, lettuce, salt and pepper, then gently mix in the egg. Cut the asparagus into thin slices and add to the egg mixture. Garnish with asparagus heads before serving. Preparation time: 10 min.
Asparagus risotto
Ingredients
400 g purple asparagus
200 g risotto rice (arborio), 20 g butter, 2 tbsp oil
¾ litre vegetable stock, 1 spring onion, 1 clove garlic
40 g Parmesan cheese, ½ chopped onion, salt and pepper to taste
Method
Cut the asparagus and into small pieces. Braise chopped onion with butter in pan. Add half of the asparagus and the finely chopped garlic. Add rice and stir to coat. Add stock and bring to the boil, stirring gently from time to time to prevent rice sticking.
Meanwhile, stir fry rest of the asparagus lightly in oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Once all the stock is absorbed, add the stir fried asparagus together with the Parmesan cheese, and serve. Preparation time: 15 min.
TriColore asparagus stir-fry
Ingredients
5-6 TriColore asparagus
Garlic clove, paprika, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste
Method
Cut the TriColore asparagus into slices, chop the garlic clove, cut the paprika into thin slices. Stir-fry in olive oil. Preparation time: ca. 10 min.