Eating food in season can help you harvest a crop of health benefits. This month, that means asparagus. But there’s a lot more to these green giants than just the tip
01 SPARE ROOM FOR A SPEAR
Like the British summer, asparagus season is short but sweet. The green zone lies between St George’s Day (23 April) and midsummer (24 June) – but it’s not just the smug taste of sustainability you’ll savour. ‘With fresh, local produce you get all the flavour that deteriorates when food is transported long distances,’ says Gill Meller, author of British recipe book Gather. Add in the fact that you’ll yield more nutrients at a lower cost and it’s clear time is of the essence. Why wait?
A GREEN
The regular sort is packed full of folate, a B vitamin linked to neural health and fertility – or brains and balls, if you like. It’s also depleted by excess alcohol intake. Top up if the after-work beers have been calling.
B WHITE
Grown underground away from sunlight, this vampire veg has little need for chlorophyll, accounting for its bleachedblonde looks. But it’s still rich in glutathione, which helps to support cells damaged by stress and pollution.
C PURPLE
The anthocyanins that provide this variety with its pleasing purple hue are also powerful antioxidants, which curb inflammation and improve heart health. Oh, and they’ve been linked to a reduced cancer risk, too.
D JARRED
Okay, the salt used to preserve this kind is best rinsed away. But don’t write off preserved veg just yet: whether jarred or tinned, they retain many of their useful micronutrients. Crunch straight from the jar.
02 A FRESH TAKE
In the race to assimilate every nutrient, freshness is crucial. ‘In an ideal world, you would collect your asparagus from the farm gate and eat them the very same day,’ says Meller. But if you don’t live next to Mr McGregor, the next best thing is to blanch them in boiling, salted water for a couple of minutes before storing them in a jug or beaker with a little water in the fridge. This kills microbes and denatures enzymes that would otherwise speed up the deterioration of your spears’ health credentials, while also offering protection from oxygen, which causes wilting. To trim the stems, you’ll need a good knife.
Meller recommends a serrated tomato knife from Victorinox (£6.58, nisbets.co.uk), so you can slice, not crush, each spear, protecting the delicate fibre and structure. To score extra presentation points, cut them into long, thin ribbons using a peeler from Italian kitchen gizmo experts Alessi (£35, johnlewis.com) and enjoy a slice of la bella figura.
03 GREENS GOBBLIN’
Getting fresh seasonal produce from farm to fork in
