The beginning of spring heralds the asparagus season. This low-calorie vegetable will delight many, as long as it is not combined with the usual mousseline or Hollandaise sauces.

You can choose between white, green, purple or wild asparagus.

White asparagus

They are cultivated totally underground. Because they are never exposed to direct sunlight, they remain white, but this is also why they are the lowest in vitamins and minerals. Generally larger, well peeled, they are often very soft. Their discreet flavour combines perfectly with a lemon or yoghurt and herb vinaigrette.

Purple asparagus

They belong to the same family as white asparagus, but they are harvested when their tip (turion) has poked its nose a few inches out of the ground, which gives them their color. More fruity than the white ones, they are the richest in vitamin C and carotenes.

The greens for their part are crisper than the whites. They have grown in the open air, that's why they are green, because they are loaded with chlorophyll. They are harvested when they reach about 15 cm. Sprinkled with ice water just after cooking, they will retain their color better. The 3 kinds taken together, they are the richest in B vitamins.

Wild asparagus

They are also green, but thinner and finished by a turion in the shape plumet. They are more rare. They can be found at small producers or markets. Their flavor is finer than cultured asparagus. Sometimes slightly bitter, they are very decorative on a plate.

A good advice, avoid letting them wait before eating them, because they tend to harden. Avoid storing them in a plastic bag, instead wrap them in a damp cloth and place them in the crisper at the bottom of your refrigerator. The ideal is to consume them as soon as possible.

Of course, choose to steam them and cook them as short as possible in order to preserve the maximum amount of minerals and vitamins. If you choose to cook them in a pan, you will lose a lot of the vitamins and minerals. To prevent them from breaking, tie them in bunches and dip them in cold water. This prevents the tips from getting soft. You will need 20 minutes of this type of cooking for asparagus white and violet and between 12 and 15 minutes for green.

The asparagus is the ultimate slimming meal. Thanks to their soft fibers concentrated especially in the tip and to the potassium they contain, they favor the intestinal transit. The asparagine and other compounds contained in asparagus promote elimination, particularly by the kidneys. They also help relieve heartburn.

If you want to change the way they are presented or cooked, then cut them into small pieces and fry them for 5 minutes in a little olive oil before sprinkling with fleur de sel. It's a bit more caloric, but it's so good!