Just purchased some fresh asparagus from a grower near Levin. We have enough for several meals - is the best way to store it still standing in an inch or two of water and in the fridge? Covered or not?

Also.....anyone got a nice easy sauce to go with it - I am assuming hollandaise?

That’s how I store it. Uncovered, first cut off a few cm off the stalks and put in a bowl in a few cm of water. Home made Hollandaise sauce is a lovely accompaniment, but I often just dress the asparagus with top quality cultured butter or olive oil, maybe some chopped tarragon or chives.

I've always felt that throwing away the tough ends of the stalks was a waste, but did it anyway. Today's Sunday Star Times has a recipe that involves cooking the ends and stalks separately until they are tender, and pureeing them in a blender with a bit of olive oil and some parmesan, then serving the puree with pieces of fish and the lightly-cooked spears. Might try it!

I've wondered about putting the endy bits in the freezer and using them to make the base of an asparagus soup, but haven't ever done it.

I prefer to buy the 'thick as your finger' asparagus and I take a 1 cm slice off the bottoms before placing them standing up in a jug with some water in a cool part of my bench (uncovered). Before I cook them I prefer to peel (with a potato peeler) the last 6 cm's of the stem rather than break them off and we can then eat all of the asparagus stem. Love asparagus!
Regards,
Dawn.

Decided to make the Asparagus, Pine nut and Parmesan salad from the latest Food magazine (Christmas issue). Tasted some today that a workmate made and it is very nice. I may play with the dressing though. Should go well at my dinner party on Friday night..



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/06/2018 05:12AM by Ali W.

I'm making that salad myself for a lunch tomorrow, it says to marinate the asparagus in the dressing for at least an hour, do you think it'd work to make it tonight?

I think you could make it ages beforehand. I made mine at about midday and we ate it at 7.00pm. Still nice and crunchy. Possibly too late for you now, but the quantities of oil and vinegar are too much. I cut it way down to a good drizzle of each then a squirt of caramelised onion dressing to give it some tang. Very successful and both of the parties of guests went home with the recipe.