Green asparagus is frequently considered the “queen” of vegetables, although, its popularity is somewhat underestimated. The vegetable is mostly consumed by vegetarians and this is because these people know the secrets of cooking it. Let us learn the basics right now as well.
To start with, you should know that the consumable part of the vegetable is its green sprouts that are about 20 cm long. They are a rich source of vitamins, microelements, including vitamins A, C, E, K, folic acid and other nutrients that are indispensible when it comes to human body. Furthermore, the product is not rich is calories - 100 g of the vegetable contain only 40 calories. Let’s face the fact: this is one of the most important factors for people, who are on a diet as well as for vegetarians. The product is easy to cook and very tasty to eat, if you have cooked it properly, of course.
How to Choose Green Asparagus
The choice of vegetables is often compared to “art”, which, is, however, easy to master. When it comes to asparagus, just pay attention to the sprouts and select those that are firm and come with flat tops. The color of the sprouts should be even, while the buds should be firm. Pay attention to the cut areas. If they are dry, keep looking for another vegetable.
Popular Ways to Cook Asparagus
One of the most popular ways of cooking the product is boiling it in the deep pot. If you have a special pot to boil pasta in it, this will be an ideal option! Otherwise, choose the pot that is not less than 30 cm high. Pour water inside and boil green asparagus, putting the cuts on the bottom of it. Boil asparagus on medium fire until the sprouts become soft. This usually takes about 7-10 minutes to gain the result. If the vegetable is cooked for a long time, it will not only become not tasty, but will also lose its properties and nutritional value. Boil asparagus is a nice side dish for meat and fish dishes, especially if you serve it with sauce. To boil asparagus, you will need one bunch of green asparagus (about 250-300 g), half of a lemon, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of sugar.
Another way to cook the product is to cook it on a grill. This is what makes the dish both tasty and healthy. To grill asparagus, you will need the vegetable, of course, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 0.5 teaspoons of salt. Peel the vegetable, cut the lower parts of each sprout, dry it, dredge with salt, mix with oil and cook on the grill. Cook the dish for about 4-6 minutes and don’t forget to stir the product from time to time. Serve the dish with meat, fish steaks or sea products.
These ways of cooking asparagus are the most widespread, but, actually, you can cook anything you wish and like! Enjoy!
