A is for Asparagus

A is for Asparagus

It’s the season for British asparagus – you may have noticed as you can find it fresh and green in your supermarkets right now - home grown, locally sourced and super tasty!  Pop along to your high street during April – June to get the best British asparagus – that’s now!  Go now (or after you’ve read this actually because you might wanna grab some other fresh produce to flavour your spears).

Following the no nonsense asparagus info below look out for 3 simple additional flavours that I think work really well with this British seasonal great...

British Asparagus Rules – fact (s)!

How should I store my asparagus?
Keep it nice and fresh in the fridge

How many spears make a portion?

I’d suggest 4-6 for a side dish and more, maybe 8 for a starter

I’ve heard asparagus is good for indigestion…

Yep, you heard right, it has been known to be used to aid indigestion – this effect (and here comes the science) could be due to a carbohydrate contained in asparagus called inulin.  Inulin isn’t broken down in the small intestine so passes into the large intestine feeding our good gut bacteria.  It can therefore be labelled a ‘prebiotic’ ie it feeds and increases the number of our good gut bacteria, in turn, preventing the growth of the harmful bacteria.

But it makes my wee smell…

Yep, it could do that too.  About half of us experience a strange smell in our urine that also may take on a green tinge just after eating asparagus.  Don’t let that put you off though, it’s just the sulphur from the amino acids that get broken down during digestion.  Asparagus is also a known natural diuretic (it causes increased urine output), due to its combination of minerals and amino acids making it useful in relieving pre-menstrual bloating in women.

Also…

Asparagus is one of the best sources of folic acid (vitamin B9) which we need to repair DNA, to aid cell division and growth and produce healthy red blood cells.  Folic acid in pregnancy has been shown to help in the prevention of neural tube defects in a growing foetus too.

Is asparagus an aphrodisiac?

An English herbalist from the 17th century, Nicholas Culpepper, wrote that asparagus "stirs up lust in man and woman." In 19th century France, bridegrooms were served three courses of the sexy spears at their prenuptial dinners.  Maye there is something in this claim to fame as asparagus is a great source of Vitamin E, which is involved in stimulating the production of sex hormones in both men and women, therefore increasing the sex drive, plus it contains B9/folate as discussed, which also aids in increasing histamine - important for a healthy sex drive in men and women. So in conclusion – maybe it is.  Give it a go yourself and see (but maybe not with the roasted garlic)!

You cant call these recipes cos they are so simple - but here follows 3 no nonsense ideas to compliment your asparagus eating this spring:

1)  Roast with Garlic

Roasting veggies brings out flavour by caramelising their natural sugars

• Trim the woody ends off the asparagus spears
• Lay then out flat on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil
• Slice a few garlic cloves (up to you how many, but remember you are using the garlic to compliment, not disguise the flavour of the fresh asparagus)
• Sprinkle the garlic over the spears
• Roast for approx. 10-15 mins @ 200 / gas mark 4 ie a moderately hot oven (when ready the asparagus will be tender, the garlic slightly brown and crispy)
• Squeeze fresh lemon juice on as you serve to brighten up the flavour!

2)  Drizzle with Tahini

A taste of the middle east – can be served hot or cold

• Prep and roast the asparagus in the same way as 1 (minus the garlic)
• In the meantime toast off some sesame seeds in a dry pan
• When the asparagus is done and plated up, drizzle the tahini over the top then sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds
• Add a squeeze of lemon juice again as you serve to brighten up the dish!

3)  Fry with Soy and Ginger

This adds so much flavour so be sparing with your measurements

• Prep the asparagus as before
• This time lightly fry on a hot heat in a hot pan with a little sesame oil
• Grate some fresh ginger into some soy sauce (you can also add grated garlic and/or chilli flakes to the soy sauce at this point too)
• Pour the sauce over the stir frying asparagus. Continue to stir and fry until the asparagus is tender, but still packs a crunch!

Boom - there you go, try for yourself and see what you think.

Want to know more? Visit our friends for further info and FAQ’s:

www.british-asparagus.co.uk
www.eatseasonably.co.uk

Or you can visit us: www.nitakothari.com

Or email us: info@nitakothari.com

For our services, consultation, talks, events and workshops:

bookings@nitakothari.com

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