How to Cook White Asparagus

During my apprenticeship, it was our job to peel up to 40 kg of white asparagus per day during the peak season. This is what’s so weighty with white asparagus, the peeling must be impeccable as the skin can not be eaten. Stays tough and the preparation has to be thorough as they must be tender to develop their full taste.

Buying Tips for White Asparagus A few quality guidelines need to be adhered to ensure you get a fresh and good quality produce; the stem needs to be firm and plump the cut at the bottom should not be dried out. Storing If you need to store the white asparagus for a few days in the refrigerator, it is best to wrap the asparagus in a damp cloth. 3. This needs to be done very diligently, ensuring that all the skin is peeled off, as pieces of leftover skin will be tough, stringy and inedible after preparation. 4.

Bundling Tying the asparagus together in bundles will help to ensure that they do not break during the preparation process and that way, they can be portioned by weight and bundled accordingly. Level the tips on top of your bundle and hold all the asparagus to be bundled in one hand with the butcher string being wedged under your index finger. With the other hand, hold the butcher string and tightly wrap it 3 times around the one end (approximately 6 cm/2inch from the top/bottom) then cross the length and do the same at the other end.

Cross back again and secure the bundle by tying a knot with is secured under the end that is secured under your index finger 5. How to Cook White Asparagus Begin by bringing all the elements to a boil, excluding the asparagus bundles. Once the water is boiling, add the asparagus bundles, bring the water back to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.

The preparation time for white asparagus varies depending on the thickness of the stems, typically ranging from 12 to 19 minutes. During the preparation process, cover the asparagus with a white kitchen towel. This step ensures that the asparagus are evenly cooked, even though they are floating on the surface of the water. 6.

Cooling Once cooked, and the white asparagus are soft, remove them from the cooking liquid gently and place on a large tray. Cool down the stock over ice or in a blast chiller and store them in the cool preparation liquid covered with a moist towel. 7. Add the asparagus bundles, bring the water back to boil and lower the heat to a simmer.

White asparagus will need to cook for 12 -19 minutes depending on the thickness of the stems. Cover the asparagus with a white kitchen towel during the preparation process.

This will ensure that the asparagus are equally cooked even though they are swimming on the surface.