Wild asparagus is the best invention of spring! Here comes important info about wild asparagus and a delicious recipe with parmesan and lemon.
There I stroll quite carefree through the weekly market. And suddenly I can't take my eyes off a small stand.
Behind it stands an older lady and says to me, "Wild asparagus is on sale today." That makes me curious, of course.
Wild asparagus? What is it and how can I prepare it? In any case, it looks wonderful.
She engages me in conversation and of course I immediately buy a lot of meadow asparagus.
Table of contents
Few people know that wild asparagus grows in our area at the edge of the forest. It is a free version of the normal asparagus, which is available in markets from mid-March.
If you like green asparagus, wild asparagus will take your heart by storm.
I have decided that wild herbs always end up on the plate in the spring. There comes the wild asparagus stalks but as called!
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Why wild asparagus is often not asparagus
So it is not really asparagus. The official name is "common hop" or in technical language Humulus Iupulus.
It is the wild relative of the well-known beer hops.
Strictly speaking, the common hop is a perennial. It loves moist sites and is therefore found mainly in floodplains, stream and pond banks and forest edges with moist soil.
Wild asparagus can grow shoots up to 6 meters long. It wraps around trees, shrubs and reeds.
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Meadow asparagus can collect from mid / late March to July, depending on weather conditions. The female plants form small resinous hop cones in autumn. That is why wild asparagus is also called hop asparagus.
If you want to eat meadow asparagus, then take a maximum of the upper 15 centimeters of the shoot tips. They are particularly tender and digestible.
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I have not yet collected wild asparagus myself. Until now I could not find any. Fortunately, the lady at the market supplies me with it :)
What is the difference between forest asparagus, meadow asparagus and wild asparagus
It can be a little confusing when you want to learn about wild asparagus.
There is no protected name for any plant. That is, many plants are called wild asparagus.
There we have the variant that I bought at the market, which is actually hops.
Then there is the variant, which is actually a flower. More precisely, a milk star. It is also called forest asparagus.
And then there's the "real wild asparagus". It does not grow here because it likes it warmer. In Croatia, the green forest asparagus can be found in forests and on the edge of forests.
If you see "wild asparagus" on sale at the weekly market, it is not the green asparagus from Istria. It's usually the young shoots of the Pyrenean milk star. Or the wild hops.
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Wild asparagus from milk stars
The name of the Pyrenees Milk Star also reveals immediately where it comes from. From the Pyrenees, a mountain range between Spain and France. But also in the Alps it can be found from time to time in wild form.
You can buy the milk star in some garden stores. But there it is mostly traded as an ornamental plant.
As wild asparagus, it is offered at many markets. The shoots before flowering are edible.
Wild asparagus from hops
We all know hops from beer. But hardly anyone knows that they grow wild in the woods. The "real" or even "common hops" are often offered as wild asparagus in spring.
You can collect it from March to July. The tender tips are particularly delicious.
But beware: If you are not familiar with it, you should rather buy meadow asparagus than collect it yourself. It is easily confused with feral vine or the poisonous fence beet.
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Real wild asparagus from Istria
And then we have the real wild asparagus. In technical language it is called Asparagus Acutifolius.
Here, too, only the shoots are eaten. In summer, the plant shoots up. In the spring, it likes to end up in the pot or pan.
Between March and May, some regions in Croatia even hold asparagus festivals. The favorite way to serve asparagus is in omelets, soups or risotto.
Wild asparagus is said to be more flavorful than its highly cultivated relatives. Supposedly, it tastes slightly tart and simply unmistakably delicious. But I can not judge that. Real wild asparagus has unfortunately not yet landed on my plate.
How to prepare meadow asparagus
I love foods that are easy to prepare. That's why wild asparagus is at the top of my must eat list.
Whether from milk star or hops, wild asparagus does not have an intense flavor. That's why you have to be careful when seasoning. If you use too much seasoning, the delicious taste will be lost.
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You could also prepare risotto from it. But the cheese and wine very quickly overtaste the tender shoots of the meadow asparagus.
Therefore, it is best to fry the asparagus only briefly in oil or butter, add a little pepper and salt and ready.
You can also tie the shoots into a bunch with twine and blanch them in salted water. 2 minutes is quite enough.
The best recipe for wild asparagus
Wild asparagus goes wonderfully as a side dish for meat. Or as a main course with potatoes and salad.
By the way, wild asparagus also goes wonderfully with garlic, sage and mint.
Wild asparagus recipe with parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 Confederation wild asparagus
- 1 EL Butter
- 1 TL Lemon juice
- 1 Pinch Salt and pepper
- 2 EL coarsely grated parmesan
Anleitung
- Add the butter to the pan. When it has melted, add the wild asparagus.
- Fry it for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and season with lemon juice, salt and pepper.
- Put the meadow asparagus on the plate and grate Parmesan cheese on the asparagus. Of course, it tastes best fresh!
- I serve potatoes with herbs and a salad with it.
Notes
- 8.1 g carbohydrates
- 11,6 g protein
- 9,5 g fat
Nährwerte
Let it taste good! By the way, a glass of white wine goes well with it :)
Our conclusion
Wild asparagus is not actually asparagus. At least not the variety that I bought. These are shoots of the hop. But that doesn't matter. Still tastes really delicious!
The good thing about a wild asparagus recipe is that you can prepare it very easily. You just have to sauté the small stalks with olive oil or butter and season a bit. Done :)
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