April has finally arrived and we know what’s good! We are starting our favorite month with one of our most beloved veggies: asparagus! Did you know? Asparagus contains up to 94 % water, it is very rich in vitamin-E and detoxifies our body. If green or white, thick or thin – there are plenty of beautiful ways to prepare this royal vegetable: sweet & savory with berries, fried as tempura or prepared traditionally. To make the decision a bit easier, we have created an asparagus menu for you. Separately or in combination, every dish tastes like a piece of heaven!
Asparagus-Tomato-Salad
Serves 2 | Time: 30 Minutes
INGREDIENTS
2/3 lb asparagus, green
200 g cherry tomatoes
2 green onions
10 g parsley, fresh
10 g basil, fresh
1/2 lemon
4 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic
2 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp honey
salt
pepper
METHOD
- Clean asparagus, cut off the woody end, and peel the lower third. Then cut into 1-1.5” pieces.
- Use a peeler to cut a stalk of asparagus into thin strips for decoration.
- Wash and halve tomatoes.
- Wash green onions and cut into thin rings.
- Peel garlic and cut into large pieces.
- Heat half of the oil in a pan, add asparagus and garlic to the pan, and fry for 5-8 min.
- Fry green onions, asparagus, and tomato strips briefly. Remove from heat and set aside. Take garlic out and discard.
- Halve lemon and squeeze out the juice.
- For the dressing, mix lemon juice and vinegar with 1 tbsp. (per person) water, mustard, and honey. Gradually mix in the remaining oil. Season with salt and pepper.
- Wash parsley, shake dry, and chop.
- Wash basil and pluck leaves.
- Arrange salad on a plate. Pour the dressing over the salad and let soak briefly.
Fried Asparagus Asian Style
Serves 2 | Time: 30 Minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 lb asparagus, green
1/2 lemon
1/4 cucumber
120 g soy yogurt
10 g cilantro, fresh
100 ml sparkling water
60 g wheat flour
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 chili pepper
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 paprika powder
6 tbsp olive oil
salt
pepper
METHOD
- For the dip, peel cucumber, halve, de-seed, and dice finely.
- Wash cilantro, shake dry, and chop.
- Wash chili, remove seeds, and dice finely.
- Mix yogurt with cucumber, cilantro, and chili. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Chill until ready to serve.
- Wash asparagus, pat dry, and cut off woody ends.
- For the tempura, stir together flour, starch, baking powder, and seltzer. Season with salt, pepper, turmeric, and paprika.
- Heat plenty of oil in a pan. Coat each asparagus spear in tempura and stir-fry for about 3 min. until crispy.
- Season asparagus with salt and pepper, drizzle with some lemon juice, and serve immediately with the dip.
White Asparagus with Salmon, Poached Egg & Avocado-Hollandaise
Serves 2 | Time: 30 Minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 bunch asparagus, white
160 g salmon fillet, tiefgefroren
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes
1 avocado
1/2 lemon
2 eggs
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp walnut oil
4 tsp sweet mustard
2 tbsp olive oil
salt
pepper
METHOD
- Peel asparagus, cut off woody ends, and cook in salted water for about 10 min.
- Heat water in a large pot and add vinegar.
- Crack eggs and individually add them to a cup.
- Stir the water with a spoon handle until a small vortex appears. Slide the egg into the water and cook for about 3 min.
- Take the eggs out of the water and place on a paper towel to drain.
- Season salmon with salt and pepper and fry in olive oil for about 2 min. per side at medium heat. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Halve lemon, zest the peel, and squeeze out juice.
- Halve avocado, de-seed, and scoop the flesh out with a spoon.
- For the avocado hollandaise, blend avocado, sweet mustard, walnut oil, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Wash and cut cherry tomatoes.
- Arrange asparagus, salmon, and egg on a plate, add sauce, and serve.