Cooking white asparagus

Asparagus is a vegetable with a short season, and you want to enjoy as much of it as possible. You can eat it as a dish with ham and egg or incorporate it into a deliciously creamy soup.

Preparation

1. Take an asparagus spear by the tip and lay it flat on the counter or cutting board.
2. Using a peeler, peel from the tip downwards in one smooth motion. Repeat this until the entire asparagus spear has been peeled all around. For thicker asparagus, you will need to go around twice.
3. Feel around to make sure the asparagus has been completely stripped of its skin. The skin feels woody, while the asparagus itself is slippery and smooth.
4. Once you have peeled all the asparagus, cut off approximately 2-3 cm from the bottom of the spear, as it has the same woody texture as the skin. The asparagus is now ready to cook.
5. The skins and ends are great for making soup; see our soup recipe for instructions.
6. Place the asparagus in the pan and cover it just below the surface with cold water, then add a pinch of salt.
7. Cover the asparagus with a clean tea towel to keep it fully submerged. Make sure the asparagus lies flat, as this is important once it is cooked, otherwise it may break.
8. Bring the pan to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat.
9. Cook the asparagus for 5–8 minutes, depending on its thickness. To check if it is cooked, pierce the bottom of the asparagus with a fork. If it pierces easily, it is cooked.
10. If you want to use the asparagus in a cold salad, cook it for 2 to 3 minutes and let it cool in its cooking liquid. This allows it to cook gently and retain its beautiful colour.
11. Your asparagus is ready; enjoy!