FreshPoint

Description:

An elegant veggie requires a royal look. Purple asparagus from California is available and ready to dress up any table. This asparagus has a 20% higher sugar content and because of this extra sweetness it can be served raw or cooked. When cooked, the sweetness gives this asparagus a mild, nutty flavor. The viola spears are generally larger, more tender and less stringy, creating less waste than its green brother. Quickly blanche and top with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil along with balsamic vinegar. Add orange or lemon juice to the cooked dish for shine and garnish with toasted pinenuts or hazelnuts. A great tip: to help retain its beautiful purple color, add a touch of vinegar or lemon juice to the spears when cooking. Three major groups of compounds give red 8s and vegetables their colors: anthocyanins, betalains and carotenoids. Anthocyanins, water-soluable pigments, give PURPLE ASPARAGUS their beautiful color. Anthocyanins change color as acidity/alkalinity changes. That’s why adding vinegar or lemon juice helps PURPLE ASPARAGUS keep it’s color. Also…don’t overcook. No amount of acidity can every protect PURPLE ASPARAGUS’s lovely color from overcooking!