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Asparagaceae · Local season calendar · ENTRY 03

Green asparagus

Herbal, mild and slightly nutty. Crunchy, then tender.

Origin
Europe and Mediterranean · Asparagaceae
Texture
Crunchy, then tender
THE VEGETABLE AT A GLANCE

Its flavour and texture

Herbal, mild and slightly nutty.

Family
Asparagaceae
Origin
Europe and Mediterranean · Asparagaceae
Texture
Crunchy, then tender
01
BEFORE COOKING

Choose and prepare it well

Snap base; peel only lower portions of thick stalks.

IN PRACTICE, STEP BY STEP
  1. Choose a firm vegetable, heavy for its size with no soft areas. Wash whole before cutting to avoid transferring dirt into the flesh.
  2. Remove only genuinely tough or damaged parts. Thin skins, stalks, tops and cores are often usable when fresh: the waste-reduction section explains how.
  3. Cut similarly sized pieces for even cooking. Separate tender from thick parts so you can start cooking them at different times.
TERMS TO KNOW
Sear
cook quickly on a very hot surface to brown the outside without boiling food in its moisture.
Trim
remove damaged, dry, hard or earthy parts before cooking.
Blanch
briefly immerse in boiling water and drain; some recipes then call for cooling in iced water.
Thinly slice
cut into thin slices or strips as evenly as possible.
02
THE RIGHT TECHNIQUE

The cooking method that suits it

Pan-fry, grill, roast, briefly steam or serve raw in very thin ribbons.

SÈVE MINI-RECIPE · STEP BY STEP

Green asparagus with Parmesan

Total time · 15 min2 people

BEFORE YOU START

Wash, dry and cut vegetables before starting. Preheat the oven or pan when required: the right temperature from the start improves texture and browning.

RECIPE GUIDANCE4 minutes3 minutes
INGREDIENTS
  • 400 g green asparagus
  • 40 g Parmesan
  • 1 lemon
  • olive oil
  • pepper
  1. 1

    Snap bases and sear stalks for 4 minutes in a large oiled pan.

  2. 2

    Add tips and cook for another 3 minutes to retain crunch.

  3. 3

    Serve with lemon zest, Parmesan shavings and pepper.

HOW TO TELL WHEN IT IS READY

Food should sizzle on contact with the pan. Space pieces apart; if they release water and boil, slightly increase heat or cook in two batches.

TERMS EXPLAINED
Sear
cook quickly on a very hot surface to brown the outside without boiling food in its moisture.
Trim
remove damaged, dry, hard or earthy parts before cooking.
Blanch
briefly immerse in boiling water and drain; some recipes then call for cooling in iced water.
Thinly slice
cut into thin slices or strips as evenly as possible.
03 · GOOD PAIRINGS

What to pair it with

egglemonParmesanmintsalmon
04 · SIMPLE IDEAS

Where to use it

risottoomelettesaladtart