Prussian asparagus ✦

Aspergette

What it is

What is eaten is not a shoot but the unopened flower spike of a star-of-Bethlehem bulb, cut before the buds break. It was gathered on a commercial scale around Bath in England and sold in the market there as Bath asparagus, while in southwest France the same spike is cut from woodland edges and called aspergette.

In the kitchen

Two minutes in boiling salted water and no more, since the buds are already tender and go to mush quickly. Eat the spike whole, buds included, with butter or a soft egg; the slight bitterness at the tip is correct.

Goes with

Butter Egg Olive oil Lemon Parmesan Cream Chervil

In season alongside

Asparagus Sweetfish (ayu) Borage Brocciu Brousse du Rove Chervil

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