It’s happened – I am officially more of a fan of the white asparagus than the green kind. There was me thinking that my love for bread and salami in the morning for breakfast, constant grilling of sausages in the summer months and my love for anything pickled had made me continental enough. But now I have joined the rest of Europe and fully welcoming the delicious spears of white asparagus. Not that I don’t enjoy green asparagus. It is also delicious and the fact that they are typically thinner makes them much more delicate which is why they work so well in a pasta dish, such as this Green Asparagus and Salmon Tagliatelle.
While green asparagus works better in pasta dishes or in salads, the white kind is a little meatier and always feels a bit more substantial. I can basically just serve up a big plate of the stuff, topped with some hollandaise sauce and a little bit of cured ham. For me, white asparagus is the star of the dish and can hold it’s own. I can’t help but feel that while green asparagus is delicious, it’s less nutty and vibrant taste means that it needs to be mixed in with a little more flavour. And due to it’s thin and easy-going spears you can add green asparagus to more or less anything! I like to make an Asparagus and Goats Cheese Tart or to add it to a risotto.
Spring and early summer is such a wonderful time in Berlin. The weather is beautiful and hasn’t quite reached that boiling hot, humid and stormy summer weather. It is a wonderful time and makes me so proud to live in Germany but what I love the most is the true value of seasonal eating. The whole country jumps on board for asparagus season and it is something that I feel you don’t really find in the UK, at least not to such an extent as here. Yet asparagus season is incredibly short, too short in my opinion, so you have to make the most of it. This Asparagus and Salmon Tagliatelle is the perfect weeknight recipe. It is quick, easy and delicious!
- 300g green asparagus (ends snapped off and the spears lightly peeled)
- 400g salmon fillets
- Tagliatelle (enough to serve two or four people)
- 2 tbsp single cream
- 2 cloves garlic (peeled and crushed)
- 100ml white wine
- Juice of half a lemon
- Small bunch parsley (finely chopped)
- Small pinch of dried chilli flakes
- Salt/ pepper
- Olive oil
- Cook the pasta according to packet instructions.
- Heat a dash of olive oil in a large/ deep frying pan. Add the garlic and soften for just 1 min or so. In the meantime roughly chop the asparagus. Then add to the pan to brown slightly for another minute.
- Pour in the cream and white wine. Mix well. Keep the pan on a gentle heat then add the salmon and asparagus. Keep on a medium heat for around 6-7 mins so that the salmon poaches and the asparagus softens.
- Season the pan with salt and pepper, add the chilli flakes and pour in the lemon juice. Mix well.
- Take the pan off the heat. Drain the pasta. Add the pasta and parsley to the dish and season with a little more salt and pepper. Mix everything together so that the pasta and sauce is well combined. Serve right away.
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