If there were ever a true harbinger of late spring, white asparagus would be it, for me.
It’s really a special once-in-a-season treat, and I love it prepared very simply, lightly steamed with a rich aioli.
NB! Remember to peel the outside of your white asparagus with a veggie peeler as this variety (unlike the green) has a tougher outside part of its stalk. This dish makes for a perfect light lunch or an aperitif hour treat.
For more apéro hour treats, don’t miss the lovely and light options here:
- Figs and chorizo
- Savory French Cake with Bayonne Ham
- Garda wines and Piave cheeses
- Provencal Classics: Tapenade
- Stuffed zucchini flowers with kimchi mayo
White Asparagus
Author: Saffron & Honey
Recipe type: Appetizer
Cuisine: French
A lightly steamed plateful of white asparagus topped with a more than generous scoop of homemade aioli.
Ingredients
- white asparagus (one bushel)
- 2 large cloves of garlic, finely grated on a microplane
- 1 egg yolk
- 1-2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- about 1 cup good extra virgin olive oil (by that I mean one that is smooth-tasting and fresh)
- salt, pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water - with steamer or colander fitted on top - to boil.
- In the meantime, peel and trim the asparagus stalks. Steam them for 4-6 minutes until just tender and remove from heat.
- While the asparagus is cooking, make the aioli - whisk together the yolk, mustard, and lemon juice until you get a nice and creamy consistency. Slowly add in the olive oil - very slowly! - and whisk rapidly as you see the yolk absorb all that oil and start to emulsify.
- Once the mixture is thickened and emulsified, you can be a little more bold about adding in the olive oil as you continue to whisk everything together. Your aioli will be thick and creamy - taste it for seasoning and add salt or lemon juice if needed.
- Spoon aioli over the steamed asparagus and enjoy!
ps. If you go way back in the s&h archives, we have a whole post explaining the difference between green and white asparagus!
Is it true that white asparagus are white because they are grown indoors? No sunlight and no chlorophyll?
And green are green because they are grown naturally outdoors?
They are grown outdoors but covered with soil! You can read more here: https://saffronandhoney.com/white-asparagus-vs-green-asparagus/