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Asparagus
Botanical Name:
Asparagus officinalis (Liliaceae)
General Description/History:
- Bright green, fleshy stalks or spears
- 18 - 23cm in length
- Part of the lily family
- Form from a crown
Select tender, straight, fresh, bright spears with closed, compact tips. Spears should snap easily at stem end.
Cut away any tough ends. Rinse thoroughly. If scales are gritty, scrape them off. The spears may be cooked whole or cut into shorter lengths. Boil, sauté or steam for 5-6 minutes. Use in entrees or as a side vegetable, combine in quiches, flans, salads or stir-fries. Serve with dips as a vegetable crudités.
Asparagus is propagated from the crowns or shoots of selected asparagus plants. Good moisture is required for the production of quality spears. Because of the deep root system of asparagus crowns, irrigation should be heavy and less frequent. Irrigation is normally required prior to spear emergence and during cutting to maintain quality.
Asparagus was first cultivated by the Romans from wild plants around 200BC.
Varieties:
Please click pictures to see seasonality
Growing Areas:
QLD - Fassifern Valley, Lockyer Valley, Mundubbera, Stanthorpe, Warwick
NSW - Cowra, Dareton, Gosford, Gundagai, Hunter Valley, Lachlan Valley, Sunraysia, Tumut, Windsor
VIC - Bairnsdale, Dalmore, Kooweerup, Mid Murray District,
SA - Riverland
WA - Albany, Pemberton
NT - Katherine, Ti Tree
Preparation Videos:
Nutritional Value:
A very good source of vitamin C, a good source of vitamin E and a useful source of thiamine. It also contains dietary fibre, iron, riboflavin and niacin. 70kJ/100g.
Storage/Handling:
0°C and 90 -100% relative humidity.
Consumer Storage: Store in an airtight plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper and use as soon as possible.Recipes:
Interesting Facts and Myths?
Onions, garlic and asparagus are lilies.
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