Classified under the Liliaceae family, the asparagus is a perennial plant species, the edible parts of which are the shoots, of a particularly gentle taste, which develop stock roots underground and may be of various colours, green, white or violet. The stock roots, commonly called legs, grow upwards. The Santene asparagus has a long shoot with pointed tip, and is of an intense green with violet hues; it has an average length of 22 cm and the coloured portion covers about 65% of the total length. The peculiar profile of the Santene soil which is prevalently sandy (60% sand), with very little limestone and very permeable, confers particular organoleptic features to the asparagus.
Production Area
The production area covers Santena and the surrounding municipalities in the Province of Turin.
How it is made
Belonging to the Liliacee family, the asparagus is a perennial herbaceous species, the edible parts of which are the shoots which have a particularly gentle taste. The shoots develop from the buried rhizomes and can take on different colours: green, white or violet. The rhizomes, commonly called "Crowns," bear the roots and develop upwards. The Santena asparagus has tapered tips of an intense green with violet hues, and is on the average 22 cm long and the coloured part covers about 65% of the total length. The particular characteristic of the soil profile is its being sandy (60% sand), with little limestone and very permeable, and confer the Santena asparagus particular organoleptic features. The structure of the asparagus consists mainly of the stems cultivated on-site. The "crowns" are sown in February-March in deep furrows of 10-15 cm and the first shoots appear about a year later. The harvest starts from April to mid-June. The soil preferred for cultivation is loose, sandy, with little limestone and very permeable.
History
The lack of relevant historical documents makes it impossible to define the exact moment when the cultivation of Santena asparagus began; in any case it is assumed that the first shoots were cut in the 1700s. Between the first and second half of the 1800s, Cavour became interested in this vegetable which became a true "source of prosperity for Santena."
Interesting features
The asparagus is generally packaged in bunches with the weight varying between 400 gm and 1.5 kg. At the time of purchase, the spear tips must be firm and compact. They should not open too much (a sign that the asparagus is not so fresh or was harvested in the advanced state of growth). They should not be bruised or show signs of rot.
After purchasing, they can be stored outside the fridge for a couple of days (in a cool place) with the base of the spear immersed in cold water that should be changed daily. If not, they can be kept in the fridge for not more than 4-5 days.
When cooking, remove about a centimeter of the woody part of the stem by keeping the bunch of spears tied and cutting them together with a sharp knife. Each stem must be cleaned by scraping the base with a sharp knife or by using a potato peeler. After having washed them carefully (the tips of the spears usually contain some sand) it is recommended to tie them again in a bunch so they can be easily put into a pot without ruining the tips; drain them after cooking and arrange them on a plate. The ideal way of cooking asparagus is in a long and narrow pot (even better if it contains some sort of colander) where the asparagus are placed inside the pot when the water starts to boil, with its tips out of the water; being more tender than the stems, the steam is enough to cook the tips. Steaming asparagus is another ideal way of cooking them or in pans that do not need water to cook. If they are cooked in water, it is best to add some salt in the water to revive its green colour. After cooking (from 5 to 12 minutes, according to the size), to maintain the vibrant colour, stop them from cooking by dunking them in iced water. The asparagus must not be overcooked and be firm to the bite, to preserve as much nutrients as posssible; nevertheless, after cooking they must be left inside the covered pot (obviously without water) if not they will get dark. Its uses in the kitchen are numerous; a good culinary combination is aparagus with egg and cheese.
