Hot days, quick storms, rainy days. The weather is so spring-is-turning-into summer like. The most important thing about these days isn’t the weather but the asparagus season! Those white and green shoots are something you can really get fresh only in this period of the year. You should definitely enjoy it as soon/much as possible. You can get some Czech asparagus mostly on the farmers markets (I’ll write a post about Prague’s markets in the future). One of them is just next to the Anděl tube station, it should be there every Friday. I’ve recently changed my job and I’m now located about 10 mins slow walk from there. I bought not only an asparagus, but also bunch of spring onions, lots of rhubarb and a beautiful red paeony.
You should know about asparagus…
The word asparagus comes from a word sperg/sphereg (uncertain origin, perhaps Greek) – to spring up.
Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) is a spring vegetable native to Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia. It grows to 100-150 cm / 30-70 cm high (depends on a cultivar).
The flowers are bell-shaped, about 5 cm long and coloured from light green to light yellow. The colour of shoots is given by photosynthesis – covering young shoots with soil leaves them white (it’s easy – no sunlight, no chlorophyll, no green colour).
Older asparagus shoots are not usually eaten, as soon as they start to open, they quickly turn woody.
Asparagus is mostly just water (up to 93 %), it’s also low in calories and sodium. On the other hand it’s rich in vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and so many other stuff. It helps to enhance the ability of insulin to transport glucose from the bloodstream into cells. Sometimes it’s known as an aphrodisiac – just because of the shape.
- 8 small new potatoes
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 eggs
- 125 g green asparagus (10 medium spears), woody ends removed
- 6 slices bacon, sliced into pieces
- 3 tbsp walnuts
- 3 large handfuls lamb's lettuce
- Clean the potatoes carefully. Boil them in salted water for about 10 mins until tender. Cool a little under cold water, then drain well and set aside.
- Put the eggs in a pan of cold water and bring to boil. When the water is boiling, add the asparagus and let boil for 2 more mins. Drain well and cool under running water. Drain asparagus well.
- In the meantime heat a frying pan and cook the bacon until crispy.
- Peel cooled eggs and halve or quarter them.
- Whisk all the dressing ingredients.
- Toss the lamb's salad with the dressing well to coat. Add potatoes, asparagus, and walnuts and toss gently again.
- Serve immediately with eggs and bread.
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