Jenga towers of these snappy stalks are currently piled high across supermarkets, fruit and vegetable stores and markets. But they’ll likely be gone before you know it. These 17 asparagus recipes make the most of the fleeting springtime vegetable.
Asparagus is an especially strict spring vegetable. It appears on shelves
When a seasonal crop is only available for such a short time, there’s a short window of opportunity to enjoy its specific flavours. The price is slowly dropping too – supermarkets list their bunches for about $4 each (though there’s also a good chance that weekend markets are delivering better deals).
In these recipes, the stalks are commonly paired with rich spreads and cheese, which offset the grassy flavours for more sceptical palettes. For those who love the vegetable, there are also a couple of recipes that treat the vegetable to a simple blanch and sprinkle of salt.
In this picnic-appropriate recipe, the asparagus stalks are lightly blanched. To get this right, and avoid woody or sludgy textures, add the asparagus to salted boiling water for a few minutes before quickly transferring the stalks to a bowl of ice water. This will halt the cooking process and maintain their satisfying snappy texture.
These pretty crepe bits are slathered in a super savoury cream cheese. It blends the tangy spread with capers, lemon zest and lemon juice, producing a salty and acidic spread that offsets the vegetable’s grassy notes.
Blanched stalks are just one of many additions to this creamy dinnertime risotto. The fish dish is a luscious mix of fish stock, lemon zest, prawns, dill and parmesan. Finish with an extra sprinkle of cheese.
This simple salad should be bookmarked for the remainder of the season. It’s a minimalist mix of blanched asparagus and shaved parmesan (yes, that’s it), which shines with the addition of a briny, garlicky dressing.
You can play with the presentation of this rich and cheesy tart, by arranging the asparagus in artful patterns. This recipe might also be a good way to use up leftovers during party season – all you need is puff pastry.
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Cheesy and minty pea fritters make up the base of this brunch serving, while soft poached eggs and thinly sliced asparagus provide textural contrast.
This cheesy bite is a hybrid between a scone and a scroll. The homemade dough encases grilled asparagus with a melt of cheese, herbs and cream cheese. You could also serve with your favourite chutney, for a pleasant acidic balance.
Level up your regular morning spreads for this garlicky breakfast. A crumble of feta and scatterings of walnut add complex flavours to a delicious eggy toast.
This is a bright and easy salad to bring you into the warmer months. You could save this serving for a special dinner party or potluck, as it spotlights all the best produce of the season.
The puff pastry base of this salmon side is slathered in a pesto-like blend of asparagus, spinach, garlic, capers and horseradish. It’s best served warm with a dollop of dill-infused aioli and lime wedges.
Polenta makes a creamy base for these properly roasted stalks. It’s infused with chicken stock, milk, butter and parmesan. You could serve this comforting dish as a side dish for a dinner party.
This leafy bowl showcases a variety of textures, with crisp cos, crunchy croutons, snappy asparagus and silken egg yolk. The salad is also enhanced by a homemade salad dressing, which is a blend of egg yolk, Dijon, anchovy and lemon juice.
Asparagus is an earthy accompaniment for this lush helping of pasta. If you’d prefer to substitute the truffle for something milder, add button mushrooms, which gain nice caramelisation with a hot pan fry.
This is a vibrant plate to perch on the side of your large format serving. Pan-fried sage will add crunch and a pleasant herby aroma too.
This morning tea serving is enhanced with a homemade pate, which blends smoked salmon with lemon, cream cheese and dill. You can save this spread for other party season platters.
This crispy and breezy tart is easy to whip up in a pinch. It garners strong flavours from feta, fresh mint and spring onions. The asparagus also gains a nice colour through the oven bake.
Though it may be intimidating to take on homemade gnocchi, the results are totally rewarding. Agria potatoes are your best bet for maximising flavour and nailing that pillowy texture.
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