Description
Enjoy the tender texture and delicate flavour of our asparagus, perfect for roasting, grilling, steaming, or adding to salads. Available in our Local Farm Shop in Bellaghy, Mid Ulster Area.
Asparagus is a vibrant, spear-shaped vegetable prized for its delicate flavor, nutritional value, and culinary versatility. Here’s a full breakdown:
🌱 Botanical Profile
- Scientific name: Asparagus officinalis
- Family: Asparagaceae
- Type: Perennial flowering plant
- Native to: Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia
- Growth habit: Tall herbaceous plant with feathery foliage and stout stems, reaching 100–150 cm in height
🍽️ Culinary Characteristics
- Edible part: Young shoots or “spears” harvested in spring before they become woody
- Flavor: Mildly grassy, slightly sweet, with earthy undertones; can develop nutty or buttery notes when roasted or grilled
- Varieties:
- Green asparagus: Most common, grassy and fresh
- White asparagus: Grown underground to prevent chlorophyll; milder and more tender
- Purple asparagus: Sweeter and lower in fiber
🧑🍳 Cooking Methods
- Roasted: Enhances sweetness and adds crisp texture
- Grilled: Smoky depth and charred tips
- Steamed or boiled: Tender and mild
- Raw: Thinly sliced in salads for crunch
🥗 Nutritional Highlights
- Low in calories: ~20 kcal per 100g
- Rich in:
- Vitamin K
- Folate
- Iron
- Antioxidants like glutathione
- High water content: ~93%
🌿 Fun Facts
- The name “asparagus” comes from Latin and Greek roots meaning “shoot” or “sprout”
- In some regions, it’s affectionately called “sparrow grass”
- Companion planting with tomatoes helps repel pests like the asparagus beetle
