Well then, here’s yet another plateful of pure Belgian food nostalgia for me and the hubs: plain and simple boiled white asparagus with shrimp salad… This is Belgian top notch produce and a definite must try when it is white asparagus season!
Are you familiar with white asparagus?
And by that I mean the fresh ones. Not the canned white asparagus in brine. They both taste so much different, and so is their texture too. As a child my mom would often serve canned asparagus as part of a cold Sunday lunch platter with poached salmon and boiled eggs.
I think I must have been about 20 years old by the time that I tasted fresh white asparagus for the very first time. And I loved them straight away. I prefer the fresh ones of course, but I won’t say no to the canned ones.
If there’s one ingredient I miss here on my Spanish island in the Atlantic Ocean, then that has to be fresh white asparagus.
I can also find the canned ones and even green aspagarus here but there’s such a difference between the white and green ones. So last time when I was in Belgium we rented an Airbnb apartment so that I would be able to cook my heart out.
Et voilà, that’s when I combined two fo our favorite Belgian ingredients.
White asparagus with shrimp salad!
White Asparagus with Shrimp Salad
Grey shrimp, have you ever heard of them?
That’s also another delicacy that we miss very often! Also know as brown shrimp, these salty sweet small shrimp are a must try if you can. This is a plateful of nostalgia!
Are you looking for more recipes with white asparagus?
Then also check out another classic Belgian asparagus recipe: Flemish style white asparagus with boiled eggs and butter. And how about a surprising appetizer: carpaccio of raw white asparagus with sesame oil.
Enjoy!
The Recipe
- 8 thick fresh white asparagus
- 4,5 oz grey North Sea shrimp (125 g), peeled
- a handful fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp cream
- pepper
- salt
- Peel the white asparagus. Place them on a clean chopping board and hold them with one hand by their heads. Carefully peel the asparagus with a vegetable peeler from top to bottom. Turn the asparagus and peel it until you have removed every inch of the tough skin.
- Once you have peeled all the asparagus, chop off the bottom parts if they are dried out. Fill a large casserole with tap water and bring it to a gentle boil. Season with a pinch of salt. Add the asparagus and cook them for 7 to 8 minutes (depends how thick they are) until tender. Keep an eye on them, asparagus overcook easily.
- In the meantime transfer the shrimp to a small mixing bowl and add the freshly chopped parsley.
- Stir well. Then add the mayonnaise and the cream. Season with a good pinch of pepper and salt.
- Stir the shrimp salad well. Check the seasoning and add extra pepper or salt to taste if necessary. Put the shrimp in the fridge for later. Once the asparagus are tender, immediately drain them and divide them over plates. Garnish with the shrimp salad. Finish with a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper. Serve warm.
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