Spargel
Ingredients
Directions
The book gives no cooking times; the times in the steps were added in transcription, so check for doneness rather than trusting the clock.
Prepare
Peel the asparagus and trim the ends evenly.
Place the asparagus in a pot, standing upright with the tips at the top.
Fill the pot with fresh spring water until it covers the asparagus by about an inch.
Add a pinch of coarse sea salt to the water.
Cook
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 10-15 minutes.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Asparagus
- Is the main vegetable, and simmering softens its fibres to a tender texture.
The step that matters
Simmer until tender, not longer. Asparagus cooks quickly. Heat keeps softening the cell walls, so overcooking turns the spears dull green and mushy. Simmering gently keeps the texture even and the colour bright.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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