28 May British Asparagus Season
Asparagus may be available all year round, but spring is its season, so now is the best time to have some! In the UK, there is a small window when asparagus is in season, for only eight weeks to be exact, from the end of April to June, so we are right in the middle of it now. Therefore, it’s time to make the most of asparagus, especially when you host a dinner party.
Eating seasonally may seem like something that is hard to keep up with, considering crops such as asparagus are in season for such a short time. The benefits of adopting a seasonal diet no doubt make it worth making that extra effort and we have listed some of these benefits below.
- Good for your pocket! When you buy produce in season it is often at a better price, due to it being the time of the year when there is plenty of that crop available, so prices are kept low to get them off the shelves.
- Good for the environment. If a crop is produced in the season it is naturally meant to be then it will need less aid from chemicals. Chemicals used to fertilise crops have been known to have a negative impact on wildlife and water sources. Not only that, but it’s better for you that chemicals are not used and this brings us to our next point!
- Good for you. In season produce is good for you in two ways; number one is their taste and number two is the health benefits they have. If a crop is in season it simply means it is at its peak, so it will be the best it is going to taste all year! The fruit and veg that are in season often carry certain benefits for our bodies for that specific time of the year, for example, some winter crops are high in vitamin C which helps us fight off colds.
So, taking the time to eat seasonally is definitely worthwhile and whilst asparagus is in season it is also worth considering the health benefits of this crop, here are just a few;
- One of the benefits of this in season vegetable is that it is thought to detoxify the body and therefore it is no surprise that it has been said that asparagus can not only protect the liver against toxins but also cure hangovers!
- Consumption of asparagus can also promote healthy bacteria in the large intestine and help reduce bloating.
- Asparagus also contains essential vitamins such as K and C.
Considering its benefits and that you only have a short time to enjoy it, it is probably about time you started thinking about how you are going to work asparagus into your diet this spring.
Asparagus may only be in season for a short period, but the dishes you can create with it are endless. This asparagus season, do not let this green crunchy veg pass you by and instead make the most of it with our asparagus recipe.
Although asparagus is a super healthy food we have given it a bit of a naughty twist with our ‘Asparagus Chips’ recipe. You’ll still be getting all the benefits of eating asparagus, but you can also satisfy some of those cravings for fried food!
What You’ll Need:
3 Eggs
20 Spears Of Asparagus
Plain Flour
50g Parmesan
50g Breadcrumbs
4 Tbsp Olive Oil
What You’ll Need To Do:
- Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/ gas 7.
- Get one of the eggs and separate it, then add the white to a bowl with the other two eggs, beat and set aside.
- Now take the asparagus and remove the bottom part of the stalk, this is the thickest part and you want to remove this at the point where the stalk becomes juicy. Next, get three dishes and put the flour in one, the eggs in the second one and finely grate the parmesan and add this and the breadcrumbs into the third. To batter the asparagus, first dip in the flour, then egg then the parmesan mix.
- Add the oil to a baking tray and pop it in the oven until the oil is hot. At this point take the tray out of the oven and pop the asparagus in the tray and turn it to ensure they get even coverage of the oil. The tray is now ready to go back into the oven for 20 minutes, turning the asparagus after 10 mins and making sure they are in one layer while they cook. Remove from the oven and once they are cool enough to pick up, the asparagus chips will be ready to serve with the dip of your choice!
There it is, a naughty but nice way to enjoy asparagus this spring!
The possibilities are endless when it comes to asparagus, it can be used in so many dishes, which is why if you have been inspired by our asparagus recipe then asparagus private cooking lessons with one of our chefs would be perfect for you! You can learn whatever you like at our lessons one to one with a top chef and we will also provide the best quality ingredients. Sound like something you’d be interested in? Contact us today!
