Chef's tip and spring culinary pairing: asparagus with olive oil

Spring brings its seasonal fruits and vegetables. It’s the return of colors, scents, and flavors that have been forgotten during the long winter months. So, let’s let our imagination guide us toward new culinary pairings, for the pleasure of our taste buds!

For this article, we’ve decided to shine the spotlight on asparagus! Particularly flavorful, asparagus doesn’t require much decoration. That’s why it pairs perfectly with olive oil!

How to Prepare Asparagus?

Peeling Asparagus

There’s no need to peel green asparagus; simply wash them thoroughly. However, white or purple asparagus should be peeled a few centimeters below the tip. Use a vegetable peeler and avoid removing the skin entirely to preserve its vitamins. Then rinse under clear water to gently remove any fine peel remnants.

Cooking asparagus

Fresh asparagus is only available in May and June, so it’s easy to forget how to cook them from one year to the next! Here are several cooking options:

Boiling Asparagus in Salted Water
Green and purple asparagus should be cooked for 5 to 8 minutes, while white asparagus requires 15 to 20 minutes. The ideal method is to cook them in a bunch, with the stems at the bottom and the tips facing up. Once cooked, they can be consumed either cold or lukewarm, dressed with olive oil.

Steaming Asparagus
Steaming is probably the best way to preserve all the nutritional qualities of the vegetable.

Pan-frying Asparagus
This method is better suited for green or purple asparagus. Pan-fried and served warm or lukewarm, they are excellent when drizzled with olive oil at the end of the cooking process.

Baking Asparagus
Drizzle with olive oil and bake in the oven at 180°C for about 15 minutes.

Olive oil to enhance asparagus

Each of the olive oils we produce is monovarietal. We choose not to blend different olive varieties to reveal all the fruit’s aromas. Each variety has its own unique organoleptic qualities.

Depending on the cooking method and the other ingredients used, we recommend different types of olive oils:

• Green fruity oils will bring fresh, herbaceous, and tonic notes.
• Oils made from ripe olives offer a mild and balanced fruity flavor, revealing notes of green apple or hazelnut.
• Late harvest oils provide touches of preserved black olives, with a bold and intense flavor.
  
  

Olive oil and asparagus: A rich source of antioxidants

antioxidants. An explosion of flavors and health benefits! Asparagus is rich in folate (vitamin B9), while olive oil provides its share of vitamin E and polyphenols. It is also primarily composed of monounsaturated fatty acids (Omega 9).

Some olive oil pairing suggestions

Adrien Périssé’s Dish – Asparagus with Olive Oil

Chef Hippolyte Desteract’s Entry – Asparagus with Olive Oil 18:1

Asparagus Steamed with Feta, Arbequina Olive Oil, Pumpkin Seeds, Linseeds, Almonds, and Goji Berries

Here’s a very simple, fresh, and authentic recipe: asparagus with olive oil, lemon, and Binet’s flower salt – Grand cru from Batz.

A More Sophisticated Suggestion – Pan-roasted asparagus with a drizzle of Cornicabra olive oil. These can be paired with fish or crayfish.

This dish, tasted at L’Alchimiste restaurant in Montpellier, also charmed us. A cod fillet, asparagus, and green vegetables marinated with Picual olive oil, cooked on the barbecue.

Also, check out this recipe on Instagram from @Eventhia.lachaud: Asparagus, smoked mozzarella, violets, and Cornicabra olive oil.

Chef Adrien Périssé’s Suggestion – Fresh goat cheese, asparagus cooked naturally, and olive oil.
Finally, Chef Hippolyte Desteract’s Suggestion – White asparagus, Mara des bois strawberries, and a vegetable juice with Olive Oil 18:1.

Want more? Follow us on Facebook and join the Club 18:1