When we went to Belgium, it was white asparagus season, and every restaurant who had it wanted you to know, because it was even on posters in their windows advertising WHITE ASPARAGUS HERE. While in Bruges, we stopped at Huisbrouwerij De Halve Maan, which has been in the same spot since 1856. In European terms, it isn't that old, considering we also visited the Basilica of the Holy Blood, which was built in the 1100s!

But back to the food. I was excited to try Asperges á la Flamande, or asparagus Flemish style, since it is a well-known dish of the region beyond waffles, chocolate, and beer. De Halve Maan had a 3 course tasting menu, so I got cheese croquettes, the asparagus, and a white chocolate mousse for dessert.

Everything went so well with their beers, and we sat and enjoyed the overcast day in their courtyard for nearly 2 hours.

This was my asparagus from there. They used a lot of butter, and green herbs to garnish to contrast with the white asparagus. As you can see, I took a lot of inspiration from their plating, but used a smidge less butter.

White Asparagus Versus Green Asparagus

Most of us are more familiar with the green stalks and that's because the white ones take more effort to make and are rarer. Asparagus growing season for both colors is generally the springtime.

White asparagus is special and celebrated because it is grown in the darkness, so it does not develop chlorophyl which makes plants green. This of course, takes extra effort, so white asparagus can cost a little more and be harder to find — in America moreso than Europe though. The taste is more delicate and less "green" or "grassy" tasting than green asparagus. White asparagus also tends to need to be peeled because the stems are thicker, which makes preparing it a little more effortful.

Green asparagus grows directly from the ground, shooting straight up into the sky to receive the sunlight that will give it its color. The taste is a bit stronger, and the stalks tend to be thinner and more tender (a good thing). About an hour down the road from me in Monetta, South Carolina, there's a well-known asparagus farm that supplies a lot of the locally grown asparagus around the state. That is what I used for this dish because nowhere I called had white asparagus in stock in early May.

Can You Use Green Asparagus for Flemish Style Asparagus?

That depends on who you ask and how much you care. I decided to adapt this recipe for myself and the items I could easily find in America, so I used green.

I have only seen white asparagus a few times at Fresh Market where I am in Columbia. But if you are looking for it, March-May is generally the only time you'll find it as that is peak growing season.

Green asparagus is easier to find, and has a longer growing season, but that is dependent on where you are in the US.

I have not tried this recipe with frozen asparagus, but I don't think it would translate well here. That's not to say I don't like frozen asparagus (Trader Joe's version is great!), but I do think frozen works best when you're roasting or sautéing.

Print Pin

Easy Asparagus Flemish Style

Course Appetizer

Servings 2 servings

Ingredients

1 bunch asparagus white is traditional, but green is fine
1 tablespoon clarified butter (ghee)
4 eggs
salt and pepper to taste
mashed potatoes (optional but wholly encouraged)

Instructions

Make Mashed Potatoes

Make mashed potatoes according to your preference. Use new potatoes to be extra authentic.

Hardboil Eggs

Hardboil the eggs and let cool enough to handle. Peel and chop roughly but sort of finely. Set aside.

Steam the Asparagus

Cut the thick ends off of the asparagus, usually about 1" worth. If you're using white asparagus, peel. Refer to the section above about white versus green asparagus for more information.
The tips do not need as much steaming as the thicker ends, so find a sized pot where you can lean the tips out of the edge of the pan.
Fill the pot with water and set asparagus in, thick side down. Have the tips leaning out the edge if possible. Turn the heat on the stove to high and set the timer for 8 minutes. The water will begin to boil at around the 4 minute mark, let it remain on high until the 8 minutes is complete.
Drain the water and set the asparagus aside.

Prepare the Plate

Melt your clarified butter in the microwave for about 15 seconds.
Plate your asparagus. Pour the butter over it. Swirl the butter around the whole plate as much as possible.
Add a scoop of mashed potatoes to the side, if using.
Spread the hardboiled eggs over the asparagus crosswise. Salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.