APrIl To junE: wHITE AsPArAgus
IN SEASON
KC WRITTen BY BeThAnY ChRISTO And LIz MILLeR
White asparagus season lasts only two months, from late April to early June. The vegetable gets its color from etiolation – crops are shielded from sunlight to prevent photosynthesis. White asparagus is labor-intensive to grow and harvest, which makes every bite special. mo
for breakfast
osAgE BEACH, Mo. On the Rise Bakery in Osage Beach, Missouri, uses white asparagus in three different menu items: its popular
eggs Benedict served with blue crab; a crêpe with prosciutto and an omelet with Parmesan and ham. Owner Mike Castle says white asparagus pairs well with many breakfast dishes at his fine-dining restaurant, which he says “just happens to only be open for breakfast and lunch.” At the restaurant, white asparagus is peeled and steamed, and Castle says it takes a bit of babysitting to perfect: “It’s more pliable and doesn’t hold up as well as green asparagus,” he says. “It’ll go limp on you faster, and you really have to be careful that you don’t overcook it.” –B.C. On the Rise Bakery, 5439 Osage Beach Parkway, Osage Beach, Missouri, 573.348.4224, ontherisebakery.com
STl
two ways
sT. louIs. every spring, Kevin Willmann,
chef-owner of Farmhaus in St. Louis, looks forward to white asparagus season. he always sources it from don Ross, who has been growing white asparagus on his farm in freeburg, Illinois, for almost 50 years. Willmann first heard about Ross from Josh Galliano, chef-owner of The Libertine in Clayton, Missouri, who also sources from Ross. At farmhaus, Willmann prepares white asparagus two ways: pickled and grilled. “We use a lot of anise in our pickling, and that licorice tinge lights up the grassiness in the asparagus,” he says. “We grill them raw; we don’t brine them, cure or soak them – just simple oil, salt and pepper, then straight onto a hot fire. It really draws the sugar out, and the texture completely changes. There is a quick window where it’s still crunchy in the middle, but tender and cooked.” –L.M. Farmhaus, 3257 Ivanhoe Ave., Lindenwood Park, St. Louis, Missouri, 314.647.3800, farmhausrestaurant.com
tasting menu
kAnsAs CITy. Born and raised in Germany, Matthias Seyfrid, chef de cuisine of Grünauer in Kansas City, doesn’t let anyone else handle the shipment of white asparagus that comes directly from Marchfeld, Austria (one of the largest asparagusgrowing regions in the world). The Austrian restaurant celebrates the vegetable’s limited season by preparing a special white asparagus menu from late April to early June. The menu features the quintessential Austrian and German preparation of freshly cooked white asparagus with a crêpe, butter, new potatoes, ham and sauce hollandaise. “When you create a dish with white asparagus, you want it to be the star of the show,” Seyfrid says. “You don’t want anything to overpower its flavor.” –B.C.
Grünauer, 101 W. 22nd St., Crossroads Arts District, Kansas City, Missouri, 816.283.3234, grunauerkc.com
Traditional Austrian White Asparagus with Sauce Hollandaise ReCIPe COuRTeSY Of MATThIAS SeYfRId, Chef de CuISIne, GRünAueR
Serves | 2 | AsPArAgus
2
water (to just cover asparagus) dash salt dash sugar lbs peeled white asparagus
sAuCE HollAndAIsE
½ 4 4
lb unsalted butter egg yolks Tbsp white wine salt and freshly ground black pepper lemon juice Tabasco
| Preparation – Asparagus | In a large pot over high heat, bring water to a boil and add salt and sugar. Place asparagus in boiling water, turn heat to low and cook until stalks are tender, between 8 and 12 minutes.
| Preparation – Sauce Hollandaise |
CHEF’s TIP “White asparagus is best-cooked with a good amount of steam or water,” says Grünauer chef de cuisine Matthias Seyfrid. “For some people, it may be an acquired taste. I recommend blanching it in water with butter, sugar and salt until al dente – you don’t want [it to] overcook – and then just enjoy it with a small amount of butter or sauce hollandaise over the top.”
In a large saucepan over low heat, melt butter and skim off white solids as they rise to the top. Repeat until no solids remain and keep warm. In a double boiler, whisk together yolks and wine until hot and creamy. Slowly drizzle warm butter in, whisking constantly. Season to taste with salt, pepper, lemon juice and Tabasco. Pour sauce over asparagus and serve with country ham and potatoes. PhOTOGRAPhY BY ©ISTOCK.COM/eGAL