Asparagus begins So healthy asparagus is a treat

This is how asparagus becomes a treat: it depends on the pot and cooking water
The asparagus season is running at full speed. Until the end of June, the tender, versatile vegetables from local cultivation are available at weekly markets, at roadside stands and in the food trade. The crispy sticks are especially delicious when prepared fresh. It pays to pay attention to such trivial things as cookware and cooking water.

Of course, the cleaned, peeled and finally shortened asparagus in each sufficiently large pot can be cooked lying. However, this requires a comparatively large amount of water - namely, so much that all the rods are just covered with water. Often suffer from the sensitive heads, which require a shorter cooking time than the rods. In addition, it is difficult to balance the rods without large puddles from the pot to the plate.

If you like to eat asparagus new potatoes, you do not need to peel them. (Image: karepa / fotolia.com)

Lovers of noble vegetables prefer special asparagus pots. They consist of a tall narrow saucepan with sieve insert or wire frame. In it, the asparagus spears cook upright. The water should cover only two-thirds of the rods, advises the Federal Center for Nutrition. This is because the delicate heads cook in the steam when the lid is closed and they do not get soggy. At the end of the cooking time, the sieve insert and the asparagus are lifted out of the cooking water. This can then be used for a sauce or soup.

In the hot cooking water next to some salt and a pinch of sugar. The sugar reduces any existing bitter substances. This is especially helpful with green asparagus, which contains more bitter substances than its white relatives. A splash of lemon juice prevents unsightly discolouration with white or purple bleaching asparagus. But beware: The splash must not be too big, otherwise the aroma suffers. Green asparagus, however, is slightly greyish with lemon juice; you should better do without it here. Finally, a piece of butter comes into the cooking water. So the delicate asparagus flavor is even more intense.

Depending on the desired bite resistance, asparagus is cooked at medium heat after ten to twenty minutes. The usually thinner and tender green asparagus takes only eight to fifteen minutes. Eva Neumann, bzfe.de