It’s the Season: “Spargelzeit” started in Germany
The following classic recipe let you enjoy White Asparagus at its best: With Sauce Hollandaise
For 4 guests, get about 1,200 g white asparagus. Peel the asparagus very carefully and cut off the dry ends. Cut a couple of parsley twigs. Add 1 table spoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice and 1 table spoon of butter as well as 1 teaspoon of salt to l 1 l (2 pints) of boiling water. Reduce heat and add white asparagus. Cook the vegetable at medium heat for 10 minutes and then let is simmer for another 10 minutes. When done, drain water into a separate pot or bowl (makes a great base for a creamy white asparagus soup!) and serve asparagus immediately while hot. Sprinkle fresh parsley over white asparagus and serve.
Sauce Hollandaise from Scratch
(Serves 4)
Ingredients:
250 g butter, 3 egg yolks, 3 spoons of water, 1 spoon of lemon juice, salt, white pepper and cayenne pepper.
Preparation:
While the white asparagus is being cooked, melt the butter in a pot, but do not cook it. Put egg yolks in a pot with lemon juice, water, and salt. Place the pot in a hot water bath and stir with a whip or electric mixer until the mass is creamy. Take the pot out of the water bath so the sauce does not congeal. Slowly, add the melted butter while stirring constantly. Add salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to taste, and serve immediately with the white asparagus. Offer new potatoes and thinly sliced prosciutto as sides.
Which Wine to Serve with White Asparagus?
A delicious and tender spring dish, white asparagus can be a difficult to pair with wine. The natural bitter notes in asparagus make many wines taste vegetal and green. We recommend a 2017 Blanc de Blancs from France, a Silvaner from Rheinhessen or a Riesling from the Moselle region which compliments asparagus perfectly due to their moderate acidity and excellent fruit structure.
More information from the German Wine Institute www.deutscheweine.de
They also offer a free recipe book with great wine-pairing tips >>