bite - Asparagus, Flemish style
Just as hop shoot season nears its end, another “white gold” vegetable hits market shelves and fine restaurant kitchens. White asparagus is here until the end of June, hailing mostly from farms around Mechelen and farther east across Limburg. (In fact, there is a debate going on now as to whether Kinrooi in east Limburg province or Puurs in Antwerp province lays claim to the offcial “asparagus village” title.
Just as hop shoot season nears its end, another “white gold” vegetable hits market shelves and fine restaurant kitchens.
Politics aside, asparagus is a lovely spring delicacy. The plant's roots dig deep under the earth, while its white spears climb towards the light. Once they reach a length of about 13cm and start to peek their heads above the soil, the spears are ready to be harvested with one sharp whack at their base. This must be done by hand, hence the relatively high cost when compared with other veg (from €6 per kilo).
There are multiple possibilities when it comes to preparing white asparagus as a starter, side or main dish: think of pairing it with other soft, subtle ingredients such as cod, salmon, grey shrimp, ham, poached eggs or a simple mousseline sauce. The key is to keep it simple, so as not to overpower asparagus' mild, earthy flavour.
Asperges op Vlaamse wijze, or Asparagus Flemish style, is easy to make, calls for few ingredients and tastes divine, especially on a sunny Sunday afternoon next to a glass of chilled white wine. Here you also have a few variations on the dish (eggs mashed, soft-boiled, poached...), so I tried combining the best aspects into one recipe.
Ingredients (for four):
24 white asparagus stalks
4 eggs (2 hard-boiled and 2 soft-boiled)
Handful of fresh, finely chopped parsley
150g clarified butter (melted, white foam removed)
Nutmeg
Salt and pepper
Preparation:
Although my Flemish neighbours had a good laugh watching me peel asparagus for the first time (in the US, we mostly eat the green version which doesn't require peeling), I got the hang of it pretty quickly - with the help of a special asparagus peeler. Remove the tough outer skin slowly from just under the spear down to the thicker bottom, gently keeping each stalk in place on a flat surface. Keep the peels; they make for a good soup later on.
Once you've (finally) finished peeling, bind the asparagus together using kitchen string and tie this to one of the pot handles to keep the bundle in place while boiling. (Unless, of course, you have a tall and narrow asparagus pot designed to keep the stalks upright.) The most important thing is that the delicate spearheads remain above the water, so they are essentially steamed to perfection. Boil the asparagus until soft when pricked with a fork, usually 15-20 minutes depending on their width.
While they cook, prepare the trimming. Simply mix the parsley in a pan together with half of the melted butter, a couple of dashes of nutmeg and two peeled, mashed hard-boiled eggs. Don't be afraid to mash it all together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Arrange the asparagus on a warmed plate and garnish with the egg and parsley mixture. Slice the soft-boiled eggs in two and place decoratively on top, allowing the yolk to run out. Generously pour hot clarified butter over the entire dish and serve immediately.
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