Asparagus

A perennial consumed in Europe for over 600 years, asparagus is the first seasonal vegetable to appear on our plates with the arrival of warm weather. While the most known and consumed variety is green, white asparagus with a more delicate taste and purple asparagus with a fruitier flavor are worth discovering.

Store it as soon as you buy it!

Up to 5 days in the refrigerator, with the stalks in water and covered with a plastic bag, or wrapped in a damp cloth in the vegetable drawer.

Enjoy it all year long with these preservation techniques:

Freezing

Blanch the asparagus for a few minutes before cooling and placing them in an airtight bag. Keeps up to 1 year.

Recipe ideas: soup, vegetable stir-fry.

Dehydration

Although not necessarily recommended due to their fibrous nature, you can try dehydrating asparagus!

Recipe ideas: grind into powder for a dip.

Canning

It’s possible to preserve asparagus naturally for more versatile use than in pickles. Place washed and trimmed asparagus, whole or sliced, in a sterilized jar. Cover with boiling water. Boil the jars for 30 to 40 minutes in a pressure canner. Detailed recipe here: Bernardin Asparagus.

Recipe ideas: soup or potage, salad.

Lacto-fermentation

Pack peeled asparagus tightly in a jar. Mix 15g of salt and 1g of pepper and/or other spices to taste in 1 liter of water and pour over the asparagus to cover completely. Use a weight if necessary. Ferment at room temperature for at least 7 days (to taste), opening the jar daily to let gas escape. Refrigerate to slow fermentation.

Recipe ideas: as is, in a sandwich to replace pickles.

Stock up from early May to mid-June!

Check out our Seasonal Calendar of Fruits end Vegetables for more info.