• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Asparagus. Salt. Pepper. Melted Butter.

Steam it for around 5 mins, until you can pierce it with a fork with only a little resistance. Bliss.
Makes the ultimate non-toasty soldiers for a boiled egg.
Can't bring myself to buy it at this time of year I'm afraid. It's flown in from Peru or Venezuela! Just seems wrong to me. Besides, the British stuff is by far the best, if you can wait till the end of April when it comes into it's all too brief season......

All the best,

fergus
 
No need to steam it (if you are in a hurry). Just sprinkle some water over 'em and stick 'em in the microwave for 2 mins...
 
Stick it on a griddle with a little butter and let it wilt. Soften some blue cheese to accompany or sprinkle with shaved Parmesan. Add a poached egg and some crispy smoked streaky bacon.

Chop it finely and mix it through eggs scrambled with butter. Goes well with a little smoked salmon.

Chop it finely and have it with fresh peas in an omelette.

Set in aspic with sliced hard boiled eggs.

Grow it yourself. If you live near the sea its a doddle. I grew my 60 plants from seed but it tales a couple of years after planting out before you get meaningful amounts. In year 1, sow 3 seeds per small pot and overwinter in the greenhouse. Year 2 split into individual pots sit outside and overwinter in the greenhouse Plant out into final position in the spring of year 3 once the last frosts have passed. You don't need a vegetable garden as it grows to make a beautiful fine fern about 5 - 6 ft tall. Grow it spaced out in flower beds. Take only 2 or 3 spears from each head and be sure to cut below ground level. In East Lothian about 1,000 metres from the coast we normally expect to have our own asparagus from the end of February through March to mid May.

Grow a few new plants each year to replace any females or those that are damaged. You get about 148 seeds per packet. Worth trying two or three varieties.

Don't seem to have any pests although rabbits seem to nip the tops off and leave them lying - easily resolved with a shotgun.
 
stopit stop it STOP IT!!!

must not think about asparagus until it comes back into season

We have a couple of asparagus farms down here in Suffolk, it is so much tastier when fresh and little travelled compared to the imported stuff

Keeps me going between the purple sprouting broccoli (my winter substitute) and the runner beans

<wipes drool off keyboard>
 
I have some frozen asparagus... I usually roast mine with sea salt, black pepper, olive oil and a touch of balsamic vinegar.
 
What's the frozen stuff like? I am not fond of tinned asparagus and while I've bought the imported stuff it is expensive and not as flavourful as the local crop.
 
I've only ever bought fresh. I'll keep an eye out for frozen if it's cheaper...
 
Can't remember really... I never look at price tags, I'm terrible. I think below £2 for a pack... dunno I'll look on Saturday when I go shopping. :)
 
I bought a pack today at Morrisons. I've never tried frozen before. 250gms for £1.26.
The only downside so far is that it says packed in China on the box so its carbon footprint will huge.

I don't think I'll buy it regularly but as an occasional treat, it will be fine.

wiflib
 
Back
Top