People were already talking about the asparagus from Aranjuez in the Golden Age. Known by their nickname of "Pericos", these asparagus are characterised by their deep green colour, wonderful freshness and famed tenderness.
The optimum soils for growing this plant are fertile, deep and welldrained although they can also be grown in much poorer soils and are much less demanding than white asparagus in terms of their structure.
Asparagus from Aranjuez have a very interesting range of nutritional values and properties. Their extremely low calorie content, high fibre and high proportion of minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium and trace elements, as well as vitamins such as ascorbic acid and vitamin E, make them a really healthy option.
Green Aranjuez asparagus, which come onto the market in springtime, are simply delicious just steamed with a little salt and accompanied by mayonnaise or vinaigrette, although they can also accompany other ingredients which enhance their exceptional qualities, such as cured ham, fried garlic, peppers, wild mushrooms, garlic shoots and prawns. They are often used in soups, sauces, omelettes, as a garnish and in stews.
Ingredients:
1 kilo asparagus. 150 grams butter (or lard). 50 grams breadcrumbs. 3 boiled egg yolks. 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley. 1 pinch salt. 1 pinch pepper.
Preparation:
Scrape the asparagus, wash and cook in plenty of salted water for 15 minutes. Drain and arrange in a serving dish, all lying the same way.Carefully mix the egg yolks with the parsley and cover the asparagus tips. Melt the butter and add the bredcrumbs. Pour over the asparagus and serve immediately.
