So it's that time of year again, the summer trying to fight back the spring frosts. Fruit blossom in bloom setting autumns fruit. Through the enriched mounds asparagus forces it's spears skyward.
For me I love asparagus it's one of the first vegetables spring brings. The thing with asparagus is it doesn't travel well for sure it stands up to travelling but it's delicate flavour soon turns grassy.
Choosing-
I'm sure we could debate thick or thin I actually prefer the inbetween, the thickness of a little finger. I find the thin one whilst lovely and tender it's flavour also tends to be more subtle. Ideally you need to be picking asparagus from the field with its dew glistening heads. I suspect few will be able to. So look for the freshest bright green and brittle spears they should bend very little.
Preparing-
In choosing whether to peel or not to the scratch test seems the easiest to determine the answer. Scratch the skin if tender you'll scratch through. You tend to find early season doesn't need peeling as don't the thinner spears. When peeling start below the head leave a little. At the bottom it tends to be woody before peeling dispose of this bit(Keep for sauces or soup just needs passing). Asparagus will naturally snap at the top of the woody bit, dispense with the knife grab each spear gently and bend till it snaps at the right spot. I've seen so many chefs that can't get this right snapping them in half.
Cooking-
You'll read plenty of things honestly in the trade it's a big pan of boiling salted water and refreshed in ice cold water. Recipes will infer you need to keep their tender heads out of the water this really isn't necessary. Steaming is a nice but is best straight to plate. Sadly in commercial kitchens this is rare due to time and staffing restrictions.
No comments:
Post a Comment