recipe
White asparagus polonaise
Hollandaise, bearnaise, grenobloise, dijonnaise, mayonnaise and polonaise. Any classic sauce preparation ending in “aise or “oise” works well with asparagus. Every one of these sauces is based on a combination of butter, vinegar, tarragon, bread, eggs and lemon.
White asparagus production, as we know it in Australia, has long been undervalued compared with how it’s regarded in Europe – particularly in Germany, France and Spain. There it commands a high price even in a preserved, not fresh, state. Similar to anchovies, white asparagus is often served from a jar or tin as it is. It’s a pure celebration of a vegetable in its simple form.
In Tasmania, one small-scale farm has challenged this norm, and we are now getting the benefit. Weston Farm, after many years of international study, has been producing white asparagus for the past three years. It’s wonderful to see.
Asparagus plants are quite similar to grape vines in that they take four years to reach maturity. Prior to that, the plant just throws a fern-like frond up in spring before dying back and going dormant from early summer. White asparagus grows differently to the green variety as it doesn’t see the sun, hence there’s no photosynthesis. The mature spears are mostly formed underground, which gives white asparagus a distinctive and delicate flavour.
Polonaise is a French derivative of a Polish sauce. In a true polonaise, there would be no tarragon, but I’m happy to challenge this convention.
Time: 20 minutes preparation + 15 minutes cooking
Serves 4 as a side dish
- 500g white asparagus
- salt
- 150g butter
- 1 clove garlic, whole
- 100g breadcrumbs
- 1 lemon, segmented
- 3 eggs, soft-boiled
- salt flakes
- 1 bunch French tarragon
- Snap the tougher part of the bottom of the asparagus off and then cut on the angle of the snap to minimise wastage. Remove the outer skin using a fine vegetable peeler, or peel it as you might rhubarb.
- Blanch the asparagus in a large pot of well-salted boiling water and cook for about one minute, depending on the thickness of the stem. Remove and place on a flat tray to cool slightly.
- Melt the butter in a solid-based pan and then add the whole garlic clove. Cook this over medium heat for a minute or so to soften the garlic, then add the breadcrumbs. Cook until the breadcrumbs begin to go golden brown, then remove from the heat and add the lemon. This will stop the cooking process of the breadcrumbs and butter. Season this mixture lightly with salt.
- To serve, chop the soft-boiled eggs roughly, place the asparagus on an oval-shaped plate and spoon the breadcrumb mixture over the top. Season at this point with flake salt, then add the chopped egg over the top. Finish with freshly picked French tarragon and serve warm or at room temperature.
This article was first published in the print edition of The Saturday Paper on November 29, 2025 as "Spear factor".
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