Wild Asparagus, Walks with Rewards

By Jose Luis Gallego, environmental communicator (@ecogallego)

Accelerating climate change is altering the timing of the seasons in the countryside, a fact that is particularly evident in the flora. Farmers have no choice but to adjust their agricultural calendar to adapt to the biological processes of their crops, which are occurring earlier and earlier. This reality is also not lost on foraging enthusiasts, who are noticing how the life cycle of wild plants is changing at an increasingly rapid pace.  

A good example of this is the gathering of wild asparagus – one of the most popular wild plants to forage in the countryside, where it is common to see people out for a springtime walk with a bunch of asparagus in hand.  The season traditionally began between late March and early April, but now it comes much earlier. With increasingly mild winter temperatures – and assuming there is enough rainfall – asparagus can begin to sprout as early as February in some places. 

A fresh spear growing from a wild asparagus plant in its natural habitat (photograph: José Luis Gallego)

Unfussy, highly resilient, and capable of adapting to all kinds of terrain, the asparagus plant is one of the most representative herbaceous perennials of the Mediterranean scrubland. It grows spontaneously along paths and the edge of crop fields, in pinewoods or around the trunks of olive trees. The plant’s prickly, tangled appearance might not be immediately attractive, but in the early spring it becomes an irresistible lure for wild asparagus hunters – after all, it produces one of the most exquisite and healthiest morsels nature has to offer, which usually emerges amid the plant’s fern-like thicket. 

Wild asparagus is the springtime sprout of the eponymous plant, and the slim green spears usually grow near its base, hidden amid the stems, but they can also pop up further away depending on how extensive the roots are. In fact, it is not unusual to find a lone asparagus growing from the forest floor, next to a drystone wall or along the edge of an olive grove or vineyard. Based on my own experience, I would even go so far as to say that these are the best, the tastiest. Purple, almost black in colour, and thick, they display a distinctive bitter flavour that characterizes asparagus spears found at these sites. 

A bunch of freshly picked asparagus (photograph: José Luis Gallego)

Picking asparagus is easy – simply cut the stalk with scissors or break it off by hand but do so very carefully to not injure the plant. It’s best to cut them at a length of about 20 or 25 centimetres. This means we might lose out on some of the spear, but it will be much easier to carry a bunch of them in our hand. 

Once we have our harvest in the kitchen, we only select the uppermost part, which is the freshest and crunchiest. The most common (and most practical) technique for selecting the best parts of a wild asparagus is to carefully break the stalk between your fingertips, from top to bottom, into three-centimetre sections until it no longer readily snaps on its own. At this point, we can discard the rest of the stalk – the woody, hard-to-digest part – and wash the tender shoots. Now it’s time to enjoy one of the finest flavours that nature has to offer.

Fresh asparagus in the kitchen, ready to be cooked

Gathered early on a March morning, when the stalks are still damp with dew and drip liquid from their cut base, a handful of freshly picked asparagus is a natural delicacy without peer. Simply pan-fry the pieces of asparagus with a splash of olive oil until they’re lightly cooked but not brown, then add a sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper and some salt flakes and enjoy!  They’re also delightful stir-fried with finely sliced Manchego cheese. Even better: don’t fry them at all. Just snap them with your fingers onto a bed of fresh watercress, walnuts, and garden-fresh tomatoes. Or go for a simple yet delightful asparagus scramble. 

Regardless of our recipe of choice, the unique and unmistakable flavour of the springtime shoots of the asparagus plant will be the star attraction, turning every dish into a delicacy. Asparagus is also very healthy, providing us with vitamin A and C, fibre, iron, phosphorus, zinc, and other nutrients. Furthermore, asparagus are very easy to digest and have notable diuretic properties. Few natural treats can match wild asparagus when it comes to enjoying a delicious meal after a morning of gathering them in the fields – even if the foraging season is coming earlier and earlier.