July 19, 2018
It’s May a beautiful vivid month of the year. Still a bit chilly for a Greek born here in Switzerland but the magic of blossoms in the gardens and parks is enough to add this extra warmth. Heading towards the local Saturday market, I am thinking of what to cook for lunch. After of several months of studying holistic nutrition, of course I want to prepare a seasonal meal based on Swiss products from small local farms.
At the end, my basket was filled with Swiss organic asparagus, celery sticks, scallions, red onions, carrots, dill and lemons from Italy the only outsider. But, as I was scrolling around the colourful stands of vegetables and fruits and thinking of a nice recipe, I couldn’t overcome my Mediterranean influence. Dill is such a common ingredient in the Greek cuisine as are lemons. Although I was able to find Swiss dill, lemons were all imported so I went for those closest to Switzerland borders. On the back of my mind I had also those potatoes sitting quite for some time in my cupboard and needed to be used before getting sprouted to avoid the extra sugar as a result of the starch conversion.
Now the recipe was complete, in season and with food not being wasted! Inspired by a Greek traditional dish with a twist, there you go: “Asparagus a la Polis”. Originally this is made with artichoke hearts which by the way is also a vegetable of the spring but requires a bit more time to prepare and cook (Artichokes a la Polis). And for those wondering why “… a la Polis”, this is a dish originating from Constantinople commonly referred to as Polis and means a dish coming from the city of Polis. You don’t need to be so strict with the ingredients and quantities, you can adjust it according to your preferences and taste.
Asparagus A La Polis
Ingredients
- 8 organic asparagus
- 1 organic medium red onion
- 2 organic scallions
- 1 glove garlic minced
- 2 organic celery sticks
- 2 organic carrots
- 2 organic medium potatoes
- 1/2 bunch of dill
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil (for low temperature cooking)
- More olive oil to sprinkle
- 2/3 cups of boiled water
Preparation
- Prepare a saucepan with a lid over medium heat and add the olive oil.
- Before it starts to simmer, add the red onions, scallions which you have cut into small pieces and the minced garlic.
- Lower the temperature and once the onions get tender add the chopped carrots, celery sticks and potatoes. Stir all ingredients a couple of times.
- Add the asparagus which you have previously peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces. I like to remove the woody root ends of the asparagus, peel the thicker part of the stalks and cut it into half, except of the upper end with the triangular leaves which I leave as is.
- Stir a couple of times while adding salt and the juice of half a lemon. According to my grandmother, lemon added before water tends to make vegetables crispier.
- Add the cup of boiled water, place the lid over the pan and let simmer until potatoes are cooked all the way through (around 30 to 40 minutes).
- Remove the pan from heat, sprinkle with chopped dill and stir. I like to add the dill fresh at the very end rather than let it cook, to get the most flavour out of it.
- Serve warm by drizzling some organic olive oil and seasoning with cayenne pepper.
Nutritional facts
Now it is time to talk about the nutritional facts. In general this meal is low in calories and due to its micronutrients it seems to calm the nerves, boost immunity and support the body’s metabolism.
- Asparagus, the king of this dish are relatively high in protein, low in calories and sodium and with good amounts of vitamin A and C. The smell urines acquire after consuming asparagus derives from the amino acid asparagine which is an essential element of protein, aids the metabolic function of the cells and helps the body remove urea by processing ammonia and thus optimizing the liver function. Asparagine is also included in several skin care products as it is thought to replenish aging or damaged skin cells.
- Celery, also low in calories has a relaxing and calming effect on the nerves.
- Onions and garlic have similar immune-enhancing properties as they are used in treating high blood pressure and cold flu by eliminating toxins from the body.
- Carrots are abundant in vitamin A and their rich phytonutrient content provides them with antioxidant, immunosupportive, anti-inflammatory, cancer-preventing and tissue protective properties.
- Potatoes are the starchiest element in this recipe but still fairly low in calories with good amounts of vitamin C and B, especially folic acid.
- Dill is an herb that promotes digestion, relieves constipation and as a well-known carminative prevents excessive gas. Due to the flavonoids and vitamin B complex present in dill, it has a calming, hypnotic effect and at the same time it boosts immunity as it is associated with antimicrobial activity. Monoterpenes are other compounds found in dill with antioxidant, cancer preventing and anti-inflammatory properties.
- Lemon serves as a fat metabolizer helping in the purification and detoxification process of the liver.
- Last the only high in fats element of this recipe is olive oil. Rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, it is known to lower cholesterol levels and has been linked to decreased risk of diabetes and cancer.
This dish is very easy to prepare with low percentage of failure. Be careful with the content of water so that you don’t end up with a soupy-like stew. Another tip, is the size of the pan you use. Choose a wider pot or saucepan to prevent the vegetables from getting mushy which usually happens when these are squeezed and stapled one over the other. Asparagus can be substituted with many other vegetables in this dish such as artichokes or Brussels sprouts to name some which also have a very unique taste and flavour.
