Green asparagus

Green asparagus is the young shoot of the asparagus plant, which grows above ground and turns green when exposed to light. Its flavour is fresh and vegetal, with a slightly sweet and sometimes nutty note. Green asparagus is suitable for boiling, steaming, grilling, roasting and frying.

Botanical name: Asparagus officinalis
Plant family: Asparagaceae
Part used: young shoot
Native range: Europe to Mongolia

Description

Green and white asparagus come from the same plant but are grown and harvested differently. Green asparagus grows above ground. Exposure to light causes the shoots to produce chlorophyll, giving them their green colour. They generally have a more pronounced vegetal flavour than white asparagus.

Fresh green asparagus spears are firm, with tightly closed tips and a fresh green colour. The spears can be thin or quite thick. In the Netherlands, green asparagus is mainly harvested in spring and early summer. Outside the Dutch season, it may be available through imports.

In the kitchen

Green asparagus usually needs little preparation and can be cooked in many ways. Boiling and steaming give it a tender, juicy texture. Grilling, roasting or pan-frying browns the edges and develops a fuller, roasted flavour. Keep cooking times short for thin spears so that they do not become limp.

The flavour pairs well with lemon, butter, olive oil, garlic, eggs and Parmesan cheese. Potatoes, pasta, risotto, salmon and chicken also work well with it. Herbs such as parsley, chives, tarragon and chervil can complement its fresh flavour. Thin green asparagus spears can also be cut diagonally into pieces and briefly stir-fried.

Storage & preparation

Keep fresh green asparagus refrigerated and protect it from drying out. Ideally, use it while the spears are still firm and the tips tightly closed. For prepacked asparagus, always follow the storage instructions and use-by or best-before date on the label.

Rinse the asparagus thoroughly before use and remove the dry or woody lower part of each spear. Green asparagus does not usually need to be peeled all over. On thicker spears, however, the lower section may be fibrous; peel this part thinly with a vegetable peeler if necessary. If needed, sort the spears by thickness before cooking so that they cook in roughly the same amount of time.