Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!
So, I bet you are wondering what’s the difference between white asparagus and green asparagus? Is it a different variety? A close relative? Nope – asparagus is asparagus. White asparagus is nothing more than asparagus that spends its entire existence covered in dirty, not allowed to reach the sunlight that turns the spears green. It takes a little more tending than the green stuff. This extra tending is part of why white asparagus demands a higher price tag than the green variety. White asparagus is grown in South America and Europe, so it’s an “import” to the US markets. Hence the added cost. If you are lucky, these pale stalks make a brief appearance in early spring, so snatch them up when you can.
When you do, don’t treat them like green shoots. Deprived as they are of sunlight, the asparagus as a whole is changed. To begin with, white asparagus has a stiff stalk that will snap easily, and not necessarily at the “woody” ends like green asparagus. The thin outer skin is bitter, and must be removed prior to cooking. Once properly prepped, white asparagus can be cooked just as you would green asparagus. The most common is to boil the asparagus in a little water.
While I decided to boil the asparagus, salted water seemed a little boring, so I added some lemon juice to allow the flavor to penetrate the freshly peeled stalks.
The results were wonderful. The asparagus was tender without becoming “mushy”. The flavor of the asparagus itself is sweet. A little butter and season were all that were required to make a side dish that was beyond yummy.
Simple White Asparagus
1 Bunch White Asparagus
Salt (for water)
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Butter, Softened
1/2 Tablespoon Lemon Herb Seasoning
Rinse asparagus. While supporting asparagus spear in one had, gently peel outer skin from stalk. The asparagus will snap easily, so support while peeling is necessary.
Cut about 1 inch from bottom of each spear. Gather the asparagus, tie with kitchen twine at bottom, middle and top to create a nice bundle.
Place asparagus into a tall pot fitted with a lid. Fill pot with water to just below the tips of the asparagus. Remove bundle, set aside. Bring water to a boil. Season well with salt and lemon juice. Using tongs, add asparagus bundle to water, tip side up. Cover and let cook for about 15-20 minutes, depending upon thickness of stalk.
When asparagus is tender, remove from pot. Lay spears in a serving dish, remove twine. Brush spears with soften butter, sprinkle with lemon herb seasoning and serve.
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