First published in DM168

Sparrow Grass. The name sings of Spring, more so than its more common name: asparagus. It’s unlike any other vegetable both in appearance and taste, and has been prized in civilizations from ancient Greece and Egypt to Rome, where the Emperor Augustus invoked asparagus when commanding something be done “Celerius quam asparagi cocuntur” – or “quicker than you can cook asparagus” – when he wanted something achieved at speed. 

How to define the indefinable asparagus? It’s crunchy yet soft. It’s green in its own way; not emerald, nor sea; not quite pea, nor even bean. Asparagus green has to be a desirable colour in an interior designer’s palette. And its flavour: it’s nutty, but in which way? Is it almond or cashew, hazel or pecan? If there are asparagus notes in a wine, it’s a sauvignon blanc, where gooseberry and lime may lurk too. Does this mean lime and gooseberries are good ingredients for an asparagus dish? And that folksy name, Sparrow Grass… there you have it. The “grassy” notes in a classy sauvignon blanc… the same characteristic makes us think of green asparagus shoots when rolling the wine in the glass and breathing in its vivacious aromas.

Add asparagus to anything, even something as simple as the ubiquitous bechamel, and the palate will send a signal to the brain which says that what you’re eating is not a bechamel sauce, but asparagus … it’s like the tarragon in a Bearnaise, unmistakable and dominating, while retaining a subtlety of flavour that cannot be conquered.

Think of asparagus as lace, hand-stitched and to be treated with care. You wouldn’t fling a delicate lace garment in the washing machine with the bed linen and dishcloths. Lace is washed gently by hand in cool water and mild detergent. Asparagus is best blanched, because that preserves its full flavour, even enhances it. Perfect blanching retains that lovely snap of a crunch that asparagus rewards you with, while defeating its potential to be woody. That’s why we snip off the hard ends of asparagus stems. In fact, cutting off the ends would be considered vulgar by an asparagus aficionado. It’s best to hold the spear in two places: at the end furthest from the bud, and in the middle, and snap it off. It will snap at its weakest point, so you’re left with the tenderest part to cook, while discarding the woody end.

But rapid boiling will ruin asparagus. Plunge spears into turbulent water and they’ll soon disintegrate. Leave them in water, whether boiling or at a gentle simmer, for too long and the perky green will turn a dull grey. For perfect blanching, have water at a gentle simmer, immerse the spears, and watch them take on a deeper hue; two to three minutes is all it needs; the thinner the stems, the quicker they will become tender. Have a bowl of water and ice ready. Drain the spears and plunge them into the water. Leave for five minutes and then drain.

For Buttered Parmesan Asparagus I melt butter in a pan and warm the blanched spears through at a gentle heat. Transfer to a starter plate, fan out the spears and drizzle the butter over. Salt lightly, and grate or shave Parmesan over. Serve immediately while the asparagus is still warm.

But even the Parmesan would be too much for some palates. Why mask that asparagus flavour by diverting the palate to savouring Parmigiano Reggiano or the sweeter Grana Padano, which are delightful in themselves, when you have come to table for the asparagus? But crisp, fresh asparagus and Parmesan are a fine coupling.

Own a skillet? Heat it, oil or butter it, and lay out asparagus spears across the ribbed grain of the skillet. Grill for a minute or more at a moderate heat, and serve. Turning to char the other side will risk damaging them, so rather just serve them with the scored side up. Top a steak with Bearnaise, then place three charred asparagus spears atop each. N0w that’s a dish to set before an emperor. Or just your family and friends. 

Asparagus & Three-Cheese Pasta Bake

Asparagus and Three-Cheese Pasta Bake. (Photo: Tony Jackman)

Ingredients

800 ml full cream milk

3 Tbs flour

3 Tbs butter

60 ml extra milk (for the roux)

1 bay leaf

250 ml grated Cheddar cheese

60 g blue cheese, crumbled

40 g grated Grana Padano

Extra grated Grana Padano for the top, as much as you like

200 g green asparagus spears (more if you prefer)

Salt and pepper to taste.

Pasta of your choice x 250 g (when uncooked) (Any small pasta such as macaroni, penne, rigatoni or farfalle.)

Method

Cook pasta in briskly boiling water until al dente. Drain. Preheat oven to 200℃. Wash and trim asparagus spears, pat dry.

Make a basic béchamel: Bring 800 ml milk (and 1 bay leaf) to just shy of boiling point. Turn off the heat. Remove bay leaf. In another pot, melt butter and stir in flour. Add hot milk a little at a time, stirring, until the milk is used up and simmer, stirring, on a low heat for about 15 minutes for it to thicken. Season with salt and pepper. Add the grated Cheddar and stir until it melts, then add the blue cheese and Grana Padano. 

Grease a deep oven dish. Pour in the drained pasta and two thirds of the cheese sauce. Make sure the pasta is all coated with the cheese sauce. Layer asparagus spears over the top with the top ends pointing outwards. Spoon the remaining cheese over the spears but leave the top ends uncovered. Sprinkle more Grana Padano over the cheese sauce.

Bake for 40 minutes or until the cheesy top has turned golden. DM/TGIFood