Asparagus is one of my favourite root vegetables but in Britain it is a seasonal product (although in Britain we import them all year round from places like Egypt and Peru, but the taste and quality of the asparagus isn’t as good as our own!) vegetable.
Normally our season starts around March, where the price is quite high, but as the season gets under way the price starts to fall around mid-April, and the season for asparagus normally lasts about 6 months. We use asparagus in the restaurant a lot of the time, for salads, garnishes or soups.
When trimming asparagus it is important to cut the wood part off at the bottom and discard, you have no use for this bit, and then cut the asparagus to your required size. The classic way to cook them would to take a bunch of about 10 and cook in boiling salted water and then refresh in cold salted water quickly. The tips should be a nice bright green colour.
TIPS OF ASPARAGUS, PARMA HAM, SHAVINGS OF PARMESAN, BALSAMIC GLAZE
SERVES 4
32 ASPARAGUS TIPS
8 SLICES OF PARMA HAM
100G PARMESAN
1 PKT CURLY ENDIVE SALAD
100ML BALSAMIC GLAZE.
100ML VINAIGRETTE
METHOD
Trim asparagus, cut off the base and discard, then cut all the tips of asparagus to the same size, the trimmings you can make soup or puree with ( I hate waste!). If the asparagus is thick you need to peel the base of it. Cook in boiling water for a few minutes until cooked ( roughly 3 – 4 minutes), then put into iced, salted water until cooled down, take out an place neatly on a baking tray. Take the block of parmesan and using a speed peeler, making nice thin shavings. Wash and dry the Endive salad.
Put the vinaigrette into a mixing bowl and roll the asparagus in the bowl, then take out and place the 8 pieces onto the plate, giving it a bit of height with the tips facing out the way.
Place the sliced parma ham – 2 pieces - on top of the asparagus, careful not to hide the asparagus, then place some shavings of parmesan over and around, then drizzle some balsamic glaze around. With the salad leaves mix with a little vinaigrette then finish by sprinkle the leaves over the parmesan.
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