It’s time to forage for wild asparagus
The spring rains mean that the gardens and wild spaces of Catalunya are full of lush green shoots and bright flowers. And this means that it’s a good time to go foraging for wild asparagus (‘esparrecs silvestres’ in Catalan).
After those downpours on Friday night, you may have seen lots of Catalans out over the weekend searching the verges and emerging with handfuls of the long, slender spears.
It’s tricky to spot at first, but once you’ve got your eye trained, you can see the narrow dark green shoots pushing straight up through the undergrowth. Look under olive trees in particular, rather than pines. If you’ve left it too late, those buds on the side will have grown into tough prickly branches.
Once you’re home, give it a wash, then fry quickly in olive oil, sprinkle with chunky sea salt and eat as an appetiser. It tastes stronger and somehow greener than cultivated asparagus. Add it to tortilla (truita d’esparrecs silvestres) or pair with meltingly thin slices of local ham.
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