We wanted to celebrate the end of the Dutch season for white asparagus with something special, perhaps grilled asparagus with Parmesan cheese or asparagus with miso. Normally the season ends on June 24th, the feast day of Saint John the Baptist. This year the season started very early (March 7th) and probably ended early, so we were too late. No final dish with white asparagus this year!
We decided to prepare a very tasty salad with green asparagus, oregano, basil and black olives. A very limited list of ingredients, but there is no need to add anything else. The olives bring umami, the asparagus sweetness and bitterness, the basil and oregano are aromatic, sweet and a touch peppery. A very uplifting combination.
Wine Pairing
We enjoyed a glass of Verdicchio, a dry white wine made by Tenuta Colpaola in Italy. The wine has a very nice balance of fruit (green apples) and acidity, body and freshness. The wine has a beautiful, deep yellow colour, medium body and complexity, making it ideal with the various flavours of the dish.
In general we suggest a dry white wine with sufficient acidity and character, to balance both the asparagus and the olives.
You could also serve the salad with a glass of dry, crisp, floral and flavourful rosé, for instance Monte del Frà Bardolino Chiaretto. It has delicate aromas of berries accompanied by light and refreshing hints of green apples and subtle spicy tones. The refreshing acidity works very well with the salad as a whole.
What You Need
- 350 grams of Green Asparagus
- 10-15 Black Olives (Taggiasca preffered, pitted)
- 1 generous teaspoon of Dried Oregano
- Basil
- Black Pepper
- Olive Oil
What You Do
- Pre-heat your oven to 190 °C or 375 °F
- Wash the asparagus and dry
- Remove the bottom of the asparagus. Be generous, you don’t want to serve a chewy salad
- Halve the olives
- Slice the asparagus (chunky)
- Add asparagus, dried oregago and olives to a (cast iron) oven dish
- Add olive oil, be generous!, and combine
- Transfer to the oven
- After 10 minutes mix
- Leave in the oven for another 10 minutes
- Transfer to the kitchen top and let cool
- Leave in the refrigerator until ready to serve
- Just before serving add lots of basil
- Add black pepper to taste
Cook and Drink 