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.
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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 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]
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.
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.
- 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. 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.
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
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
- 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 melted butter through a cheesecloth, but you can also remove it with a slotted spoon.
- 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.
What to serve with Spargel Hollandaise
Ham (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.
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
Famous white asparagus with sauce hollandaise
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
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
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.
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!
Good tip I will give it a try! I am very jealous about your unlimited access to Spargel 🙂
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...
This is how I feel about the German cherry season. x