How to Keep Spring Asparagus Crisp and Flavorful Longer
By this time of year, we're ready to cut loose those earthy root crops from our culinary creations in exchange for something a little fresher, more tender and light… and there's no better candidate than our lovely asparagus!
It's crisp, its flavours subtle, verdant and nutty, evoking the sensations of freshly cut lawn on a warm evening. To eat asparagus is to know the winter season is behind us, to taste the hope and joy that comes with springs finest vegetables.
If you're anything like us, preserving and enjoying asparagus for as long as possible keeps these lovely sensations alive - plus, good food (or any food, for that matter) isn't cheap, so keeping it in an edible state for as long as possible is worthy of a blog post!
After much trial and error, the best ways to store asparagus are these:
- Cut off the very bottom of the spears and plonk them in a jar of water in the fridge, with a plastic bag loosely tented over the top. This will ensure they'll stay hydrated (nobody wants wilted asparagus!). I would recommend avoiding the top shelf in the fridge, as some older fridges are guilty of freezing things up there - and trust me, formerly frozen asparagus won't work wonders on your taste buds!
- Wrap the stalks of the asparagus bunch in damp paper towels, then place them in a breathable plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your fridge - this method of storage will keep your asparagus fresh for up to 2 weeks without any huge decrease in flavour or textural qualities.
Make the most of your asparagus this season by lightly stir-frying, steaming, roasting or baking.
The key is to avoid over cooking the spears (lest you end up with sloppy green mush that lacks the fresh flavours we've been boasting about!).