Asperges op Vlaamse Wijze (Flemish-Style White Asparagus)
Local name: Asperges op Vlaamse wijze
In short: White asparagus boiled until tender and served with chopped hard-boiled egg, melted butter, parsley and boiled potatoes: spring on a plate. It takes about 50 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 470 kcal
In Flanders, the spring white asparagus season is a small event, and this is how most families serve it. The spears are boiled gently and brought to the table with boiled potatoes and a sauce of chopped hard-boiled eggs stirred into melted butter, with parsley and a little nutmeg. Peel the spears well, because the skin of white asparagus is bitter and stringy.
Instructions
- Put the eggs in a pot of cold water, bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Cool under cold water, then peel and chop finely.
- Cook the unpeeled potatoes in salted water for 15 to 20 minutes until tender. Drain, peel if you like and keep them warm.
- Cut about 2 cm (3/4 in) off the woody base of each asparagus spear. Peel from just below the tip down to the end, removing all the pale skin. Tie into bundles of 6 to 8 with kitchen string, if you like.
- Bring a wide pot of water to a boil with 1 tsp salt, the sugar, 1 tbsp butter and the lemon slice. Lower in the asparagus and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until a knife slides easily into the thickest part but the spears are still firm.
- Meanwhile, melt 100 g butter in a small pan over low heat. Stir in the chopped eggs, parsley, nutmeg and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper and warm through for 1 minute.
- Lift the asparagus out with a slotted spoon, drain briefly on a towel and arrange on warm plates with the potatoes.
- Spoon the egg butter over the asparagus and serve at once.
Tips
- Peel white asparagus generously. The skin is bitter and fibrous, even on slim spears. Keep the peelings and ends to simmer into a soup stock.
- Choose spears with tight, closed tips and a moist cut end. Use them within 2 days, wrapped in a damp cloth in the fridge.
Questions and answers
Can I make Flemish asparagus ahead?
Boil the asparagus and eggs up to a day ahead and chill them. Reheat the spears in hot water for 2 minutes and make the butter sauce fresh.
Which potatoes work best?
Small waxy potatoes hold their shape and have a creamy texture. Boil them in their skins, then peel them while still warm if you like.
Why add sugar and butter to the cooking water?
A little sugar and butter in the water softens the natural bitterness of white asparagus and keeps the spears tasting sweet.
How long does it take to make Asperges op Vlaamse Wijze (Flemish-Style White Asparagus)?
About 50 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 25 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Asperges op Vlaamse Wijze (Flemish-Style White Asparagus)?
About 470 kcal per serving, with 17 g of protein, 46 g of carbohydrates and 25 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 470 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 17 g |
| Carbohydrates | 46 g |
| Fat | 25 g |
| Fiber | 8 g |
| Sugar | 8 g |
| Sodium | 450 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
