ASPARAGUS	VEGETABLES - KNOW YOUR VEG

Often considered to be a delicacy, with its straight spears and compact tip, asparagus is an attractive elegant looking vegetable with a wonderfully subtle flavour. Choose firm, fresh-looking stalks.

How To Use Asparagus

Asparagus is usually served cooked, but can be served hot or cold. It can be served as an accompanying vegetable to light summer meals such as poached fish or grilled chicken. Add cooked asparagus to rice or pasta salads, pasta sauces, quiches or risottos. Hot asparagus can also be served as a simple but flavoursome starter with plenty of warm crusty bread and hollandaise sauce, melted butter or a classic vinaigrette dressing made from olive oil, lemon juice, freshly ground black pepper and sea salt for dipping.

How To Prepare Asparagus

Wash each stalk and snap or cut off the end if it is woody or tough. Trim the stalks to roughly the same length to ensure even cooking and tie in bunches of 6 - 8 stems.

How To Cook Asparagus

Asparagus can be boiled or steamed, for best results keep the tips away from direct heat as they cook faster. The cooking time will vary depending on the thickness and freshness of the stalks. To boil, place the bundles upright in a pan of boiling water to come three-quarters of the way up the stalks, cook for 3 - 8 minutes or until tender. To steam, place the bundles upright in a steamer, cook for 3 - 8 minutes or until tender.

How To Store Asparagus

Keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.

The information and images for this article have come from www.thinkvegetables.co.uk. It provides full information on all the main vegetables available on the UK market including nutritional information and delicious recipes. The site is a service provided by Mack Vegetables, one of the largest and most successful suppliers of fresh vegetables in the UK, serving a wide range of customers from caterers to major multiples. You can find out more about Mack by visiting the website at www.mwmack.co.uk