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    Home » Main Courses

    Famous White Asparagus with Sauce Hollandaise

    Published: Jun 5, 2014 · Modified: Apr 22, 2022 by Marita Sinden · 4 Comments

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    White asparagus

    White asparagus with Hollandaise sauce (Spargel Hollandaise) is one of the classic dishes in German cooking. Once the German asparagus season starts (between March and April) the whole of Germany gets into a frenzy. This is because the German white asparagus season is short - only about 7 weeks long.

    White asparagus with ham

    About White Asparagus in Germany

    No other vegetables in Germany have as many poetic names as white asparagus. Asparagus in German is called"Spargel". However, the white variety is also known as "Kaiserliches Gemüse" (Emporer's vegetable), "Weißes Gold" (White Gold) or "Essbares Elfenbein" (edible ivory).

    As you can guess, Germans hold their asparagus in high esteem. In season you will find little huts selling asparagus on the side of the road - directly from the farm to the customers.

    white asparagus in soil
    What is the difference between white and green asparagus?

    White asparagus grows underneath the soil and is harvested as soon as the head breaks the surface. Green asparagus on the other hand grows above ground. Because of the sunlight, the vegetables have Cholorphyll and so turn green.

    White asparagus has a milder, earthier taste than green asparagus. Green asparagus has a stronger taste and thus is more aromatic.

    Green asparagus contains more vitamins than white asparagus. It contains more vitamin A, B and C as well as folic acid.

    Also, their preparation differs. You do not need to peel green asparagus, whereas white asparagus always has to be peeled. As white asparagus tends to be thicker than green, you need to cook it for longer. [Source: Focus.de Weißer und grüner Spargel - Unterschied erklärt]

    Why is white asparagus so expensive?

    White asparagus is expensive because the harvest is very time-intensive. The asparagus has to be harvested by hand by experienced pickers. The stem of the asparagus has to be dug up manually, and then the hole has to be carefully covered up and evened out, to ensure the harvest for the following year.

    Also, the plant itself is very delicate and needs fine, sandy soil, which is nutrient-rich to grow. The young plant needs to be at least three years old before you can harvest its stems, and the plant itself only has a life expectancy of about 8 years, so it frequently has to be replanted.

    Lastly, the asparagus does not keep fresh for long. It has a short shelf-life and needs to be brought to the consumer quickly. This also increases the price.

    Can you eat white asparagus raw?

    White asparagus tastes best when cooked. However, if you decide to eat them raw they are not poisonous. It would be better to select thinner asparagus stems than the thicker ones.

    How to cook white Asparagus.

    1. Make sure you peel the white asparagus before boiling. Otherwise, the asparagus will taste stringy and wooden. Only peel three-quarters of the stem, the head does not need to be peeled. PRO TIP - do not discard the peel as you can use it to make White Asparagus Soup
    2. To peel the asparagus you hold it lengthwise to your arm, this ensures that the stem does not get broken accidentally.
    3. Chop the wooden end bits.
    4. Place the asparagus in a saucepan with water. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the water (this rounds off the taste), 1 teaspoon of sugar (this neutralises the bitter flavours, 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice (this ensures that the asparagus keeps its lovely white colour, and 1 teaspoon of butter (to enhance the natural flavours).
    5. Boil for about 15-20 minutes. The exact cooking time depends on the thickness of the asparagus.
    6. Check if the asparagus is done. Remove one stem from the pot. Chop the thickest bit and try.

    Expert Tips for preparing white asparagus

    • Asparagus likes to be cooked standing up - in Germany you use a special saucepan for this called a Spargeltopf. This is because the bottom of the asparagus is thicker and needs more time to cook than the delicate tip. If you do not have such a pot, do not fret. You can always boil them lying down as I do.

    Sauce Hollandaise

    White asparagus with sauce
    White Asparagus in Hollandaise Sauce

    Sauce Hollandaise is the perfect sauce for white asparagus. This is because the buttery flavour enhances the subtle earthy taste of the stems.

    Ingredients:

    • butter
    • egg yolks (with the egg whites you can make Baiser cookies or German Coconut Macaroons)
    • white wine
    • juice of half a lemon
    • salt
    holondais4
    1. Melt the butter for the sauce in a saucepan until it browns and you can see a slight foam developing.
    holondais3
    1. Remove the scum from the melted butter. I passed the melted butter through a cheesecloth, but you can also remove it with a slotted spoon.

    holondais2
    1. In a heatproof bowl mix together the lemon juice, white wine, and egg yolks.
    2. Place into a water bath and mix until the ingredients blend into a creamy mixture.
    holondais1
    1. Slowly, first in drips and then in a small constant stream add the butter to the mixture.
    2. Season the mixture with some salt and pepper and then leave in the water bath to keep warm. Alternatively, you can also use a Thermal Mug to keep the sauce warm until needed. The sauce does not reheat very well.

    What to serve with Spargel Hollandaise

    Ham (Schinken)

    White Asparagus with Smoked Ham
    German Asparagus with Schwarzwälder Schinken

    Asparagus and ham (Schinken in German) is a classic combination. This is not only because their flavours complement, but also has practical reasons.

    The pigs used to be slaughtered in the winter and would be readily cured in spring, just when the first asparagus heads showed. So you could combine the two luxuries which were ready at the same time.

    Popular German hams are Schwarzwälder Schinken or Kochschinken. The meat is salted and smoked.

    If you are looking for foreign hams to pair with your asparagus I would recommend Parma ham or roasted cured ham.

    Potatoes

    Boiled potatoes are another classic side dish with asparagus. In Germany, you can buy a special "Spargelkartoffeln". These are especially waxy. Any waxy potatoes go well with asparagus though, such as:

    • Charlotte
    • Anya
    • Jersey Potatoes
    • New Potatoes
    • Russet Potatoes
    • Yukon Gold

    Salmon

    Steamed, baked or fried salmon goes well with white asparagus.

    Schnitzel

    Another classic side for white asparagus is Schnitzel. Wiener Schnitzel is especially popular. Here are the most popular schnitzel recipes.

    • A Goldenbrown Vienna Schnitzel on a plate with parsley potatoes. At the top you can see a bowl of cucumber salad. The plate is white and on the right you can see a fork.
      Best Wiener Schnitzel Recipe (Austrian Veal Schnitzel)
    • Turkey Schnitzel (Putenschnitzel Wiener Art)
    • German Schnitzel with cucumbers and lemon slices.
      Schweineschnitzel - Traditional German Schnitzel
    • Plate of Cordon Bleu Schnitzel.
      Classic Pork Cordon Bleu Schnitzel

    How to store white asparagus

    Uncooked/Fresh

    Remove the white asparagus from its packaging. Wet a dishcloth with water and wrap it around the Spargel. Store it in the vegetable compartment for up to three days. For best results wet the towel again occasionally.

    Cooked Asparagus

    You can store cooked asparagus for up to three days in an airtight container. Keep it in the fridge.

    Can I freeze white asparagus?

    Technically you can freeze white asparagus but it's not advisable because the delicate vegetable quickly loses its flavour.

    Recipe

    A plate with white asparagus in hollandaise sauce and ham.

    Famous white asparagus with sauce hollandaise

    Marita
    Learn how to prepare white asparagus the traditional way with a delicious hollandaise sauce.
    No ratings yet
    I look forward to your feedback. Just click the stars above.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine German
    Servings 4
    Calories 528 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Asparagus!

    • 1 kg white asparagus
    • salt
    • 1 teaspoon sugar
    • 1 teaspoon butter
    • 1 teaspoon salt

    Sauce!

    • 200 g butter
    • 4 egg yolks
    • 50 ml white wine
    • ½ lemon (juiced)
    • salt and pepper to taste
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    Cooking the Asparagus

    • Make sure you peel the white asparagus before boiling. Otherwise, the asparagus will taste stringy and wooden. Only peel three-quarters of the stem, the head does not need to be peeled. PRO TIP - do not discard the peel as you can use it to make White Asparagus Soup
    • To peel the asparagus you hold it lengthwise to your arm, this ensures that the stem does not get broken accidentally.
    • Chop the wooden end bits.
    • Place the asparagus in a saucepan with water. (The aspparagus should be completley covered) Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the water (this rounds off the taste), 1 teaspoon of sugar (this neutralises the bitter flavours, 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice (this ensures that the asparagus keeps its lovely white colour, and 1 teaspoon of butter (to enhance the natural flavours).
    • Boil for about 15-20 minutes. The exact cooking time depends on the thickness of the asparagus.
    • Check if the asparagus is done. Remove one stem from the pot. Chop the thickest bit and try.

    Making the Sauce Hollandaise

    • Melt the butter for the sauce in a saucepan until it browns and you can see a slight foam developing.
    • Remove the scum from the melted butter. I passed the mixture through a cheescloth.
    • In a heatproof bowl mix together the lemon juice, white wine, and egg yolks.
    • Place into a water-bath and mix until the ingredients blend into a creamy mixture.
    • Slowly, first in drips and then in a small constant stream add the butter to the mixture.
    • Season the mixture with some salt and pepper and then leave in the water bath to keep warm. Alternatively, you can also use a Thermal Mug to keep the sauce warm until needed. The sauce does not reheat very well.

    How to serve

    • Serve with boiled potatoes, sliced ham, salmon or schnitzel on the side.

    Notes

    Please refer to the step by step images in the main post. 

    How to serve 

    Serve your asparagus with some boiled potatoes, cured smoked ham, salmon or schnitzel on the side. 

    How to store white asparagus

    • Uncooked/Fresh -Remove the white asparagus from its packaging. Wet a dishcloth with water and wrap it around the Spargel. Store it in the vegetable compartment for up to three days. For best results wet the towel again occasionally.
    • Cooked Asparagus-You can store cooked asparagus for up to three days in an airtight container. Keep it in the fridge.

    Can I freeze white asparagus?

    Technically you can freeze white asparagus but it's not advisable because the delicate vegetable quickly loses its flavour.
     
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 528kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 9gFat: 50gSaturated Fat: 30gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 314mgSodium: 417mgPotassium: 565mgFiber: 6gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 3527IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 101mgIron: 6mg
    Keyword spargel hollandaise, white asparagus with sauce hollandaise
    Did you make this recipe? I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Please leave a quick Comment and star rating. I appreciate your feedback.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Frau Dietz (Eating Wiesbaden) says

      June 05, 2014 at 9:02 pm

      I discovered by accident that the best thing to do with leftover Hollandaise is to put it in the fridge overnight and let it turn into Hollandaise butter: I tell you what, that is one luxurious spread for bread and cooked ham 🙂

      I'm currently eating my bodyweight in white asparagus - we actually had it for dinner tonight!

      Reply
      • Marita says

        June 06, 2014 at 1:24 pm

        Good tip I will give it a try! I am very jealous about your unlimited access to Spargel 🙂

        Reply
    2. Ginger says

      June 05, 2014 at 8:46 pm

      I am so jealous! Having missed the asparagus season for over a decade now, I will make sure to take a trip home next year...

      Reply
      • Marita says

        June 05, 2014 at 8:51 pm

        This is how I feel about the German cherry season. x

        Reply

    Hi, I'm Marita

    Food enthusiast & home cook. I returned to Germany after living in the UK for 20 years. Here at My Dinner, you will find traditional and authentic German recipes with cultural backgrounds.

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