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Sunday February 12, 2012

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Bob Hart's Asparagus advice

Posted by: Bob Hart | 9 September, 2010 - 12:19 PM
asparagus

AMONG those things that should remind us, every year, of just how lucky we are is the arrival in our shops of local asparagus. And it has just happened.

More than 93 per cent of the total Australian crop comes from around Koo Wee Rup and Dalmore in Gippsland, and it reaches us first, obviously. So let's get cracking.

I started a couple of weeks ago: my favourite way to cook asparagus is to snap off the ends, prepare it with olive oil, salt and pepper and grill it on a hot, gas barbecue or a ribbed grill on the stove. It only takes a few minutes. Then, dip it in either anchovy or chipotle mayo.

But there are other ways: asparagus is brilliant with eggs, so it's hard to beat a plate of steamed asparagus topped with a soft poached egg, seasoned, and maybe served with some grated parmesan.

The Belgians have a cute way of eating it, too: they soft boil eggs, diners get one each, and then a plate of warm asparagus is placed in the middle of the table. Each egg is opened, seasoned, and a small knob of butter is popped inside. And then you dip your asparagus, just as kids dip toast soldiers, into the boiled egg. It's great.

Steamed asparagus can handle very opulent sauces. Hollandaise is great, melted butter is excellent, and the Germans like to eat their asparagus with whipped cream into which they stir some grated fresh horseradish and then season it with salt, sugar and lemon juice.

But then, they're German, aren't they?

Asparagus is great in soups, brilliant with pasta, terrific in omelettes and, if you get up early enough and pick it yourself, pretty good raw.

And just think: it was not all that long ago that asparagus was something that Australians preferred to be tinned. Imagine.

3AW Food - Eating Melbourne

Spain food 3AW is Food: Melburnians love to eat so it's fortunate we live in the culinary capital of Australia. On this dedicated food page you will find the latest recipes by Bob Hart as well as Tony Leonard's Pub of the Week reviews. La Luna head chef Adrian Richardson also serves up a dish from his own cook book and food reviewer Ela Carte visits one of Melbourne's hottest eateries weekly.

Blog comments Your Say

  • Re: Barbara Varigos Tuesday 11 January,

    Hi Barbara,

    It was a chipotle mayo, made by chopping three or four chipotle chillies and adding them, with a tsp adobo sauce, to about 8 tbs Best Foods bottled mayo. You can buy tinned chipotle chillies in adobo sauce in good food stores or, better still, order them on line from Moterey Foods in Sydney. Brilliant ingredient, and you will find more uses for it in my recipes.

    BOB HART Tuesday 11 January, 2011 - 6:48 PM

  • Hi Bob. I wonder if you could tell me what spicy dressing you used on the asparagus you grilled at the E & S Trading store opening in December. Many thanks, Barb

    Barbara Varigos Tuesday 11 January, 2011 - 7:32 AM

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