In Germany, the asparagus season is a major event that is literally celebrated every spring. Wherever you go to eat, whether it’s a traditional pub or a fine-dining restaurant, asparagus is everywhere. The classic choice is, of course, white asparagus (still often served with hollandaise sauce), but there are countless other recipes that are just as delicious.
We love green asparagus just as much as the white variety. Green asparagus originates from the Mediterranean region and was already cultivated and prized by the ancient Greeks and Romans. Over the centuries, however, it has spread throughout Europe and to other parts of the world. It is healthy, as it is rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre.
Unlike white asparagus, green asparagus grows above ground, which is what gives it its colour. As it is exposed to more sunlight, it also contains more chlorophyll and antioxidants than white asparagus. All of this results in a stronger flavour and a slightly firmer texture, making it particularly well-suited to grilling, frying and roasting. And it is precisely this characteristic that forms the basis of today’s salad.
Let’s get started: Wash the green asparagus and trim off the woody ends. One advantage over the white variety is that you don’t have to go to the trouble of peeling green asparagus first. While we prepare the dressing, we’ll marinate the asparagus. To do this, place it in a large bowl and toss it with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.
Next, we’ll make a special vinaigrette. This is enhanced with a little light miso paste, which makes it particularly creamy and full of flavour. Miso paste is actually excellent as a seasoning paste, not just as a base for soups. It is made from fermented soya and is pure umami – precisely the flavour we so appreciate in Parmigiano Reggiano, the taste of which we are enhancing here.
Light miso paste, medium-hot mustard, honey, white wine vinegar, freshly squeezed orange juice, olive oil, salt and pepper make a wonderful salad dressing.
We also have the following tip for salad dressings: if you use a small screw-top jar – perhaps a washed-out gherkin jar or something similar – you can use it as the perfect shaker for a dressing, without having to whisk it in a bowl.
Now for the Parmesan crisps, which make quite an impression but are very easy to make. All you need to do is coarsely grate some Parmigiano Reggiano and gently fry it in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat until it has melted and then turned golden brown and crispy.
You can then remove it from the pan in pieces and leave it to dry on kitchen paper. A grill pan helps to create particularly attractive shapes, but isn’t essential.
The marinated asparagus is grilled. We prefer to use a grill pan over a high heat for this, but you can of course use a traditional barbecue or the oven grill. The key is to use a very high heat for a short cooking time – depending on their thickness, the asparagus only needs 5–10 minutes to be cooked through but still al dente.
Cherry tomatoes add a fruity flavour; depending on their size, they can be used whole, halved or quartered.
Dill, mint and, if you like, fresh coriander add even more freshness to this warm salad.
Whole, unpeeled almonds are the final, very healthy and crunchy element.
We carefully coat the whole dish with our vinaigrette and garnish with the Parmesan crisps.
Enjoy.
And may the taste be with you.
Ingredients (for 4 people):
1 kg green asparagus
4 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
For the vinaigrette:
2 tbsp white miso paste
2 tbsp mustard
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
Juice of 1/2 orange
4 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
100 g Parmigiano Reggiano
12 – 16 cherry tomatoes
Half a bunch each of dill and mint (coriander is also an option)
50 g unpeeled almonds
