This weekend I will fully enjoy this delicious asparagus salad with buckwheat and radishes. Because the end of June is approaching which means that asparagus season is officially coming to an end. I love asparagus and really am overjoyed when I spot the first one in season, but unfortunately they also go out of season rather fast. Asparagus are very versatile and if you collect some great recipes that you like, I’m sure you’ll be as crazy about asparagus like me.
Did you know that asparagus are so cool in the Netherlands that they have their own pop-up store? Yes! In the ”Aspergewinkel” you can dive into the wonders of asparagus. Here you can buy (of course) fresh asparagus, but you can also do some shopping (cooking utensils), read through recipe books and get fresh meal packages. In the store the will also peel your freshly purchased asparagus with a peeling machine. The pop-up store was very inspirational with a cook who was cooking on the spot with asparagus. In addition, I also asked him questions about asparagus.
How do you keep asparagus fresh?
You can keep asparagus in the fridge for at least a week. White asparagus should be wrapped into a damp cloth and stored in the fridge. You can store green and purple asparagus in an open plastic bag in the fridge.
How can I cook with asparagus also after June?
You can freeze asparagus very well. Peel the asparagus and then pack it in a plastic freezer bag. This way you can keep the asparagus for 4 to 6 months. If you’re ready to cook with asparagus, you don’t have to defrost them first. Just add them into a pan of boiling water.
Only this weekend you can still visit ”the Aspergewinkel”, because after the official asparagus season ends (after June 24) the store will not be open anymore.
On my to-do list this weekend: buy lots of asparagus!!
A recipe I’ve made several times because it’s so fast and delicious is this asparagus salad with buckwheat and radishes. You can imagine that asparagus with lemon, crispy radishes, fresh herbs and buckwheat is a winning combination. This recipe shows that you don’t have to be an experienced cook to cook with asparagus. Everyone can make this asparagus salad.
Are you going to make this salad or are you going to freeze some fresh asparagus too? Then don’t forget to share this with me on social media with #thegreencreator
Asparagus Salad with Buckwheat and Radishes
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 1-2 1x
- Category: salad, lunch, supper, dinner, main
- Cuisine: vegan, plant-based, healthy, glutenfree, dairyfree, vegetarian
Description
You can imagine that asparagus with lemon, crispy radishes, fresh herbs and buckwheat is a winning combination. Quick, easy and nutritious.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup / 110 gram whole buckwheat groats
- 2 cups / 250 ml water
- one green onion, sliced
- sea salt and black pepper to taste (I didn’t use salt in this recipe)
- 2 large handfuls fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- juice from 1.5 lemon, or more to taste
- cold-pressed olive oil for drizzling and/or grilling
- 1 bunch asparagus (approx. 15 spears)
- 1 bunch radishes (approx. 15), cut into thin slices
- 1 cup / 120 grams (frozen) green peas
- one tablespoon coconut aminos or tamari
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- one tablespoon sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Rinse buckwheat under cold running water. Bring water to a boil. Then simmer buckwheat for 7 to 10 minutes gently on low heat. If the buckwheat is ready and it still contains some water then place the buckwheat in a sieve and let it drain. If all the water is neatly absorbed, let buckwheat rest for 10 minutes at room temperature. If the buckwheat has cooled down, you can put it in a salad bowl. Meanwhile, cut the fresh parsley and mix it with the lemon juice (half a lemon) and coconut aminos / tamari, the radish slices, onion powder and buckwheat. Bring to taste with oil or salt if you like it.
- Cut the asparagus into smaller pieces and sprinkle with the juice of half a lemon. I use a potato peeler to get rid of the harder part of the asparagus. Heat a grill or a large wok pan and add the asparagus with a little water (or oil) into the pan. Heat until they are soft or nicely marked if grilling them in a grill pan. In the last few minutes: add the frozen green peas and spring onions to the asparagus. Then add the asparagus (with spring onion and green peas) to the buckwheat. Add the sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds together with the juice of half a lemon. Combine and serve.
This article has been written in collaboration with ”ZON fruit & vegetable’‘.
