Time of asparagus.
Not easy to see if you go in the wild.
Hard to pick, when you harvest them in a cultivated field, as they are stuck in the ground and we have to bend.
This explains their price, always higher than other vegetables.
We have the blessing to live in the country side, in the place known as “Under the Tuscan Sun” from the title of movie filmed here.
We have easy access to both the kinds of asparagus: to the wild thin ones, during a hike in the lower woods, where you must have a trained sight to distinguish them among the bushes; to thicker ones, as well, as we them cultivated in our fields.
The thin, wild ones are suitable to be pickled.
The asparagus must be put in order, all aligned like soldiers, all the same height. They must be gathered in bunches and kept, standing, in a container with water, to not wither, in case you don’t prepare them immediately.
How to deal with this kind of asparagus?
Using both your thumbs, press at the base of the stalk and crack them in the place where they “want” to crack: thus, don’t press too much, just enough.
They are tender, so they don’t need to be peeled at the base with a peeler.
Steam them for two minutes, no longer, to keep them crispy.
Then transfer them in a tray and season with garlic, hot chili pepper, oregano, salt. Let them infuse in the aromas for 7-8 hours. Then push them into glass jars, cover with sunflower oil and vacuum close.
Close your eyes when you eat them….it’s a matter of respect.
