Franconian asparagus salad

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 1 kg asparagus
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp vinegar (vinegar essence)
• 3 tbsp oil (not olive oil)
• pepper
• chives
• Parsley

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes

Peel the asparagus thinly, starting below the head and gradually thickening towards the bottom. Cut off the lower end (about 1 cm). Fill a tall pot with water and bring to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of sugar, and a walnut-sized piece of butter to the water. Add the asparagus and let it cook for about 10-15 minutes. Find the thickest asparagus and cut off a piece at the end; it should be easy to peel and there should be no strings hanging off. Remove the cooked asparagus and let it cool. Pour about 4 ladles of the asparagus stock into a baking dish and let it cool as well. When the stock is cold, add 3 tablespoons of vinegar essence, 3 tablespoons of oil, salt, pepper, chives, parsley, and a pinch of sugar. Mix everything well; it should be slightly acidic. Add the asparagus and let it simmer for about 1-2 hours. This dish goes well with small, fried potatoes and schnitzel or cordon bleu. Another Franconian tip: Boil asparagus peels in the broth (you can add a little more water) for about two hours. Remove the peels, season the broth with chives and parsley, let it cool, and then drink. It’s good for detoxification.