Asperges à La Flamande

Asperges à la Flamande is a classic Belgian side dish, pairing white asparagus with a mashed egg and herb topping. This healthy and delicious recipe can be ready in 20 minutes (or less!), and pairs wonderfully with several mains.

I first learned about white asparagus when I was still in university. I used to bake asparagus for myself all the time, and my Belgian neighbor (technically, she lived down the hall) would always tease that there are better ways to make asparagus.

Eventually, I called her on her words, and she agreed to make her favorite asparagus recipe for me, Asperges a la Flamande. Unfortunately, I had agreed to getting the ingredients for her, and finding white asparagus in my small university town was a bit more of a challenge than expected!

On the plus side, making this healthy asparagus recipe is pretty easy. Let’s get to everything you need to know.

What is Asperges à la flamande

Asperges a la flamande is a Belgian side dish consisting of boiled white asparagus, topped with a mashed boiled egg and parsley mixture.

Asperges a la flamande translates to something like “Flemish-style asparagus”, referring to the Flanders region of Belgium. Not everyone uses the term in the same way though, while in this case it is a regional reference, some times “à la flamande” is used to refer to certain vegetables be used in a dish, or a sauce enriched with eggs or cream.

White asparagus

White asparagus is a delicate variety of your standard green asparagus, it has a less fibrous texture, and a milder flavor with a mild underlying sweetness. The reason white asparagus is white simply that is grown under-soil (farmers will actually bury the stalks!), meaning it does not see the sun, and therefore does not produce chlorophyll (which is what causes stalk to turn green).

Ingredients

• White asparagus
• Large eggs
• Unsalted butter, melted
• Salt
• Ground black pepper
• Fresh parsley

How to make Asperges a la flamande

Preparing the asparagus spears

While this is generally a quick and easy recipe, I’ve always found preparing the asparagus  to be a little tedious (but mostly because I’m lazy, not because it’s a lot of work). Start by peeling the white asparagus, starting from just below the tip down to the base. Any vegetable peeler should work perfectly well. Trim off the woody end of the asparagus, and you’re ready to begin cooking. 

Cooking the asparagus

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the peeled asparagus and cook for eight to ten minutes, or until tender (depending somewhat on the thickness and size of the asparagus). You can test the tenderness with a fork, which should be able to easily piece the thickest part of the asparagus.

Preparing the eggs

As the asparagus cooks, bring a smaller pot of water to a boil. Gently add the eggs into the water, and boil for about ten minutes, before transferring the eggs to a bowl of ice water until the shells are completely cooled.

Peel and finely chop the boiled eggs. Transfer them to the mixing bowl and add in the chopped parsley and melted butter. Season the ingredients with salt and ground black pepper, and mix until well combined.

Flemish asparagus, assemble!

To serve your asperges a la flamande, arrange the cooked asparagus on a serving plate, and spoon the egg mixture over the asparagus spears. If desired, drizzle with a touch of olive oil before serving.

Tips

• Make sure to peel the white asparagus, it tends to have a thicker skin than green asparagus.
• White asparagus can be a little harder to find than green asparagus, you can more easily order it online or;
• Use a peeled and blanched white asparagus that has been pre-prepared (often sold in jars at larger supermarkets). If the asparagus you find is stored in brine, simply rinse and drain it before transferring to the serving dish.

Variation ideas

There are a few simple ways to create a little variety when it comes to this Belgian favorite.

Add some zest

This is the simplest trick to add a little oomph to this recipe. Add a splash of freshly squeezed lemon juice to the egg mixture. The acidity of the lemon juice will brighten the flavors, as well as an add a bit of a zesty kick (depending entirely on what your definition of a “splash” is).

Herbs are fun

You can easily substitute or even add other fresh herbs to this recipe. There are plenty of herbs that should complement the flavor profile of the asparagus – I’d begin experimenting with dill, chives, or tarragon.

Make it lighter

While this recipe is already fairly wholesome, if you’re looking to make it a little lighter, consider reducing the butter by using a mixture of melted butter and olive oil in the egg mixture.

Make it steamy

If you like your asparagus a little firmer, you can opt to steam it instead of boiling. Steaming will also help to retain more nutrients.

Use green asparagus

Technically, this recipe is best made with white asparagus. However, you can very simply substitute green asparagus in (personally, I didn’t think the white asparagus tasted better, but it did have a nicer texture when compared to its green sibling).