Published the 04/02/2020 in Our Selection
On the lands of the AOC Blaye-Côte de Bordeaux and in the Landes is a well-kept gastronomic treasure, back every spring: the white asparagus.
If this year you will unfortunately not be able to taste it in the great tables of Bordeaux, we give you some tips to cook them yourself like a chef, and especially how and where to buy them, because nothing beats fresh asparagus!
Today this product is preserved thanks to the action of the brotherhoods, and it is celebrated every year, at the end of April.
White asparagus is in season from March until the end of May. White asparagus differs from green asparagus in appearance and texture. They are generally fleshier and larger than green asparagus.
The colour mainly differs from green asparagus by the harvesting technique since white asparagus is harvested before seeing the light, which allows it to keep its pearly colour. Because without contact with the sun, there is no photosynthesis which causes the chlorophyll colouring.
You must have noticed that white asparagus is a product that is generally quite expensive. One of the reasons for this is that white asparagus must be picked by hand and then cleaned while taking care to preserve the heads, the best part of the asparagus. They do not keep for long, but can freeze raw eventually.
It is usually cooked in its simplest form, accompanied by a sauce. But honestly, the secret of a successful dish is before choosing beautiful asparagus. How do you choose them? To ensure that they are fresh, make sure they are straight and white in colour. The head of the asparagus must be well shaped and preserved, as this is the best part.
On the preparation side, remember to peel them, and don't hesitate to cut the base generously if it seems too hard, to avoid stringy asparagus. However no waste, the bases can be used as they are in a quiche, see for the realization of an asparagus velouté, which will make the stringy side disappear.
For cooking, several techniques are possible. The most traditional cooking remains in boiling water. The secret of a successful preparation? A little sugar and lemon! Once again, remember to keep the cooking juices, which will make a succulent stock base.
For the most gourmet, you can fry them in a pan in a base of butter, and serve them with parmesan shavings, for example.
Some producers offer to sell their products at a distance, do not hesitate to contact them or find them in the various farm drives in the region. So, bon appétit!
