The other day, I stopped by a local market to pick up some sausages, and as usual, I brought home more than what I had on my shopping list. Because I found wild asparagus! This elusive vegetable has been all the rage in the fine dining world and I have been itching to try it. It was a hit at home (even though it has been asparagus overload in our kitchen!) so I wanted to share my recipe: wild asparagus carbonara.
The French take their asparagus seriously. There are multiple kinds available from the classic green garden variety to gastronomic white to a multitude of wild ones. Most stores and markets also offer a variety of sizes and thicknesses, as well as an option to buy organic. And then there are asparagus from different regions and countries. The variety is unlike anywhere else!
Wild varieties like these ones are native to the forests around the Mediterranean and look a bit like Hyacinth. It is possible to grow them in gardens but it takes a skilled hand and some luck. They have more or less the same flavour as green asparagus but they cook very quickly (literally 1-2 minutes and they are ready).
Earthy, bitter, but subtly sweet, wild asparagus pairs well with rich sauces, eggs, and citrus. And its thin stalks twirl well like pasta — in fact, it is roughly the thickness of No 13 linguine. So, I thought it would be fun to experiment by serving this in a creamy, lemony, carbonara. It was so good that we went back for seconds and there were no leftovers…
RECIPE: Wild Asparagus Carbonara
INGREDIENTS
Enough linguine for 2 (about half a box of Barilla No 13)
1 bunch wild asparagus, washed
1 egg
~200 grams freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Several slices of smoked bacon or pancetta, cut into small pieces
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large pot, boil salted water. Add the asparagus and blanche for ~1-2 minutes, until soft. Remove from pot and put in ice water bath. Set aside.
- Add pasta to same pot and cook in salted asparagus water as per cooking instructions on the package. Cook the bacon/pancetta in a separate pan until slightly crispy.
- While pasta is cooking, put egg, parmesan, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper into a heat-proof bowl. Whisk well until all ingredients are ready.
- Drain pasta and asparagus and add to the bowl with the sauce. Quickly mix until everything is covered in sauce.
- Serve immediately with bacon bits on top. Optional: add salmon roe and fresh oregano for an extra boost in flavour! Enjoy.