Green Asparagus: the Precious (Annunciator of the Good Days)

CULTURE AND COOKING

An asparagrias produced for 8 years. Pick up when its head comes out of the earth by at least 10cm, the asparagus can grow up to 15 cm/day! Hence a daily fully manual harvest. White asparagus is buttoned (its base is surrounded by a pile of soil that protects it from the sun's rays), unlike green asparagus that grows in light. Green asparagus does not peel and is cooked with boiling water or steam. Green or white they can be enjoyed with a muslin sauce or dressing. They can also be cooked in velvety, foam, terrine...

In reference to Lauris asparagus, Pierre and Jean Troisgros (Maison Troisgros / OuchesLoire) created their Lauris sauce: light mayonnaise relaxed with water, to which wine vinegar and paprika are added.

DID YOU KNOW THAT?

Eaten in the wild by Egyptians and Greeks, this plant native to the Mediterranean basin was cultivated by the Romans. A luxury product highly prized at the Court of France, Louis XIV demanded it on his table in any season. The “white” asparagus, softer, was reserved for the people, the bitter and rare “green” was preferred by the bourgeoisie.

Today it is simply a story of taste. From the beginning of the 19th century, it was cultivated in the Durance plain thanks to the lightness and fertility of the soil. This led to the fame of asparagus of Provence.

ZOOM:

L’asperge de Lauris Vers 1850, M. Grangier commença la culture de l’asperge à Lauris. Ce fut un vrai succès grâce à ses capacités d’invention et à la terre riche en sédiments. Il mit en place un système de culture qui permettait aussi d’avoir des asperges à Noël et en février. Plusieurs wagons /jours d’asperges s’exportèrent vers Paris et à l’international par la gare de Cavaillon au début du XXème siècle.

Sources: www.fruitsetlegumesfrais.com, www.semencesmag.fr, wikipedia

Recipe ideas

Asparagus Bush

Recipe proposed by DANIEL HEBET

The Jardin du Quai in L 'Isle sur la Sorgue

INGREDIENTS FOR 4 PEOPLE:

20 green asparagus, 4 thin slices of smoked breast, 12 quail eggs, A mesclun of herbs composed of basil, chervil, tarragon, chives, Olive oil, Balsamic vinegar, Salt, Pepper, Paprika

PREPARATION:

Peel the asparagus. Cook them in hot salted water, then cool them. Make packets of 5 asparagus and “string” them with the slice of bacon. Wrap these bundles in film paper and steamed them for 2 minutes by a couscoussier. Cut to the base and take out the bush. Plant the bush in the center of the plate, place the asparagus nicely. Cook quail eggs on the dish and place them around the bush. Season the mesclun with herbs with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Arrange it nicely on the asparagus. Add a dash of balsamic vinegar on the asparagus and decorate with a rain of paprika.

Green asparagus from Menerbes with thyme flower

Recipe proposed by FRANÇOIS MARTIN

The Bastide of Marie Ménerbes

INGREDIENTS FOR 2 PEOPLE:

4 white asparagus, 4 green asparagus, 15cl vegetable broth, 10g butter, 2 branches of thyme, 10g bacon, 5 cl veal juice

PREPARATION:

Peel the white asparagus, as well as the bottom of the green asparagus. For cooking, start in a sautoir with a drizzle of olive oil, white and green asparagus and deglaze with vegetable broth as you cook. Season lightly and add 10 g of butter at the end of cooking the asparagus. Draw in a casserole, with crispy bacon, veal juice and thyme flowers. Add the baking base and cover over low heat. Ideal garnish for meats such as milk lamb. It is tasted accompanied by a wine from the Domaine de Marie.

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