Tender spears of asparagus, pushing their tips up through garden soil, are a true sign of spring. They seem to grow almost magically, by leaps and bounds, once touched by the sun’s warmth. Sure, you can find ho-hum bunches of asparagus in grocery stores year-round, but for the real deal, you should look for it now, especially in farmers’ markets and farmstands. You’ll be rewarded with the remarkable flavor of grass and earth, a touch bitter and a touch sweet. From wispy pencil thin spears to stout stems the thickness of thumbs, truly fresh seasonal asparagus should be juicy and vibrantly colored. Look for compact tips and firm stems. The spears do get more fibrous toward their bottoms, but they should not be dried out and woody.
What to Know about Green, Purple and White Asparagus
In addition to the familiar green vegetable, you may be able to find the Purple Passion variety, or even white asparagus. The white is buried in soil to avoid chlorophyll production in the stalks. It‘s particularly prized in Europe. I first experienced these creamy colored spears on an overseas airline flight, some decades ago, when even coach class provided real meals. I couldn’t figure out what the mystery salad ingredient was until I tasted that distinctive but somewhat milder flavor.
One of the reasons asparagus can be a bit spend-y is because the plants require several years to mature enough for harvesting. To protect your investment, once home, take off the rubber bands corralling the bunch, trim the bottoms, and stand upright in a glass of water like a bouquet. For fat asparagus, whatever the preparation, use a peeler to strip away the tougher outer peel on the lower couple of inches. Steam, roast, or even grill the spears to serve simply, with a drizzle of olive oil or melted butter, a squeeze of lemon, and a shower of flaky sea salt. Accompany with fresh herbs like dill, thyme, or tarragon. Tuck spears into a crudité platter, or serve as a side with Green Goddess dressing, or hollandaise or bearnaise sauce, or try one of these recipes during the peak season.
Spring Asparagus Recipes for Veggie Lovers
Asparagus Soup
Silky smooth and emerald in color, this soup satisfies with contrasting crisp toppings of pancetta and asparagus tips. Add a dollop of additional crème fraiche, if you like too.
Asparagus Tart
Puff pastry always makes it look as if the cook worked extra hard. This buttery tart can be sliced into small squares as an appetizer, or serve as a main dish.
Penne with Asparagus and Lemon
Asparagus and pasta make a lovely spring-like combo of green on white. Cut the asparagus in lengths similar to the penne for the best appearance and flavor. If you want to make the dish more substantial, poached or roasted chicken would be a good addition.
Shaved Asparagus Salad
Shaving asparagus super thin is a great way to enjoy it raw. This salad is especially gorgeous when you can find green and purple spears. Certainly add white ones too, if you find them. Lemon contributes brightness and rustic croutons and almonds both add texture. If you’d like, feta crumbles could be scattered over it too.
Tempura Asparagus
Asparagus gets the tempura treatment here, frying up in golden spears of goodness. Serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over and tarragon aioli for dunking.
Recipes and Story by Cheryl Alters Jamison
Styling by Keith Recker
Preparation by Jackie Page
Photography by Dave Bryce
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