Making the most of nutritious asparagus

Making the most of nutritious asparagus

Maria Endah Hulupi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Asparagus is used to make a variety of delicious treats and light
snacks, and soups and purees in cuisines around the world.

However, what many asparagus lovers do not know is that along
with its pleasant flavor and crisp, tender texture, asparagus is
also one of the most nutritionally rich vegetables.

In fact, long before it gained popularity in the modern
culinary scene, asparagus was valued for its medicinal
properties. In Greece, where the vegetable have been cultivated
for around 2500, people have used it as a herbal medicine for
cleansing and healing.

Research has proven the beliefs about asparagus' medicinal
properties correct, as the vegetable is low in calories, has no
fat or cholesterol and is rich in folic acid, thiamine, potassium
and contains vitamin A, B6 and C. Asparagus is also said to be
diuretic, laxative and refreshing.

A member of the lily family, asparagus is a young shoot that
rises from an underground crown. There are two types of asparagus
that are popular for cooking; the green and the white asparagus.
Both types are in fact grown from the same plant, but when the
white one is grown its shoots are covered with soil to keep them
from turning green.

Experts say that asparagus is a perennial plant originating in
the eastern Mediterranean region and it was the Roman conquest,
which helped introduce it to other European countries, such as
France, Germany and England, from where it spread to the rest of
the world.

Currently asparagus is used in Chinese stir fries, cooked with
shrimp or fish paste in Malay cuisine, deep fried as tempura in
Japan and served with cheese and bread crumbs in Italy.

Executive chef at Margaux French restaurant at the Shangri-La
Jakarta, Sean Macdougall, said that the vegetable can be used in
various mouth watering dishes to be served warm, hot, cold or at
room temperature.

Asparagus also goes well with various kinds of meat, such as
lamb and even kangaroo meat. It can be prepared in a variety of
ways. It can be steamed, poached, sauteed, fried and even grilled
over charcoal.

Macdougall added that the crisp and tender texture of
asparagus makes it suitable to be eaten alone or with melted
butter, hollandaise sauce or fresh lemon juice.

"It's quite nice (when eaten alone). Traditionally people tie
up the spears in bunches, gently poach them in water and just
serve them with a slice of lemon. Or you can grill them over
charcoal, which gives them a very nice smoky flavor," Macdougall
said during the restaurant's asparagus promotion that runs until
June 7, 2003.

Asparagus is mainly grown in Australia, the United States and
Europe but both fresh and canned asparagus is available in
supermarkets in Jakarta.

When buying asparagus be sure to choose only the freshest ones
with compact spears, and firm stalks with no wrinkles on the
skin. Green asparagus should have a rich green color and white
asparagus should have a healthy whitish color.

Before cooking the spears, wash them well to remove any sand
or soil. Peeling is only necessary to remove the tough skin on
the stalk. When poaching asparagus Macdougall also advises to tie
the spears in bundles so they can be easily remove from the pan
after cooking.

The cooking time is usually determined by the size of the
asparagus stalks but since over cooking asparagus may cause it to
lose flavor, color and nutrients, Macdougall stressed the need to
regularly gently press the stalk to check if the vegetable has
been cooked to a tender and crisp texture.

He also added that a little creativity is needed to cook less
crisp asparagus, which can be used to make soup, asparagus dip or
a puree to accompany chicken and fish dishes.