Application, recipes and properties of medicinal asparagus.

ACTIVE SUBSTANCES. USED ​​ASPARAGUS PARTS.

Medicinal plant - herbaceous perennial plant. - species of the genus Asparagus, family: Asparagus. Grown as a vegetable crop.

Asparagus. Application. Beneficial features. Young shoots are used for food. From Greek in translation the word as "escape" is translated. At asparagus horizontal powerful rhizome with thick roots. And precisely because of rhizomes this and their escapes and cultivate asparagus. Asparagus officinalis cultivated in gardens as vegetable and for flower bouquets decoration. Used in order to cosmetic both inside and outside.

Asparagus. Benefit and harm. Video

Asparagus is used in dietary nutrition. Prepare dishes from it in the form soups, salads who recommend diseases , liver, edema, diabetes, with, and as an increase in appetite. Thanks to its high asparagine content asparagus shoots have a positive impact on hearts work and kidney function improvement contribute.

Asparagus. Beneficial features. Video

Asparagus. Application in folk medicine. "Food of Kings"- so sometime asparagus called. The plant is very useful for beauty and.
Unfortunately, on the tables of the Slavs and other peoples in our time, this valuable useful product is a rarity. But from asparagus dishes can often be seen in Polish films about the aristocracy.
asparagus highly valued in antiquity. Images of her on the monuments of ancient Egyptian have been preserved, dating back to 2700 BC. e. Depicted and on the sarcophagi of the ancient Egyptian pharaohs.

Cooking asparagus in Korean. Video

HEALING PROPERTIES OF ASPARAGUS. was in ancient Greece a sacred plant, Aphrodite - the goddess of love dedicated. Didn't eat it but wreaths weaved from it. And in ancient Rome they willingly ate asparagus.

Two hundred years BC cultivation asparagus, which has reached our days in almost unchanged form, Canon described. described asparagus in his writings and Pliny the Elder. In the culinary ancient book of the famous gourmet and epicurean Apicius Mark Gabius, dating back to the 3rd century BC, recipe asparagus cooking detected. The ancient Romans recommended eating asparagus at irritability, despondency and unwillingness. For a while, then was forgotten . But only as in 1271 the Crusaders brought asparagus seeds to Europe, it gained popularity lost. grown in France asparagus for the royal table specially, in greenhouses, amateur asparagus Louis XIV was also great. very expensive asparagus delicacy It was and only very rich people could afford it.

FOLK WAYS AND RECIPES FOR THE TREATMENT OF ASPARAGUS

Asparagus infusion for extrasystoles. To infusion cook, you need three teaspoons asparagus shoots fill st. boiling water, leave the herb for a couple of hours, then drain. Take a spoonful. for 21 days three times a day.

For facial rejuvenation. asparagus chop, take two tablespoons of Art., the same amount

Asparagus officinalis (Asparagus officinalis).

Other names: common asparagus, pharmacy asparagus, chill, asparagus.

Description. Dioecious perennial herbaceous plant of the Asparagus family (Asparagaceae). It has a root system consisting of taproots - thick, flabby-woody, as well as long roots. The stem is cylindrical, glabrous, smooth, branched, straight or somewhat drooping in the upper part, 30-130 cm high, with numerous branches obliquely directed upwards.
The leaves are spiral, scaly, at the base with a short spur with cladodes. Cladodia are straight, thin, needle-shaped, 1-3 cm long, sitting 3-6 in axils, going obliquely upwards or slightly pressed against the stem.
The flowers are unisexual, whitish-yellowish, placed in the axils of the leaves, one or two on long pedicels. Perianth bell-funnel-shaped, with oblong lobes. Male flowers are 2 times larger than female ones. Asparagus blooms in June - July. Fruit ripening in late August - September. The fruit is a spherical red-brick berry.
In the wild, medicinal asparagus grows in areas with a temperate climate zone - throughout Europe (except for the northern regions), in North America, North Africa, Asia Minor and Central Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. It grows in light forests, flood meadows, grassy places, among shrubs, sometimes in fields.
Cultivated asparagus as an ornamental plant, also for medicinal and food purposes. It prefers loose, moist soils rich in organic matter. The plant reproduces by seeds and division of rhizomes.

Collection and preparation of raw materials. For food purposes, young shoots are harvested in early spring. Moreover, shoots of two types (white and green) are used for food. White shoots are harvested while they are still in the ground. At this time they are white, soft and tender.
Green shoots are harvested when they grow a few centimeters from the soil surface (up to 20 cm). Such shoots under the influence of sunlight begin to accumulate chlorophyll, which turns them green. The structure of such shoots becomes more coarse.
When buying asparagus in a store, you should pay attention to the fact that the shoots are elastic, smooth, tender, with a slight shiny sheen, and the cut points should not be dried out.
Purchased asparagus should be eaten quickly, as it cannot be stored for a long time. If there is a need for storage, then it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. To do this, the sections must be updated, the shoots put in a glass or jar of water, the dishes placed in a bag and put on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Water should cover the base of the shoots by a few centimeters. It should be borne in mind that storage impairs the taste of asparagus.

For medicinal purposes, rhizomes with roots, grass, fruits, young asparagus leaves are used and harvested. Rhizomes with roots are harvested in autumn, when the aerial part begins to fade. Dug out rhizomes with roots, shake off the ground, wash in running water, cut into pieces. Then they are dried in the open air under a canopy, spread out in a thin layer on paper or cloth. Can be dried in ovens, ovens or dryers at temperatures up to 45°C. Shelf life up to 2 years.
The grass is harvested during flowering, cutting off the young tops of plants (about 30 cm). Dry in the shade in the open air or in a room with normal ventilation, spreading out in a thin layer on paper or cloth.
The fruits are harvested when they are fully ripe.

Useful material. Young shoots of asparagus contain vegetable proteins (about 2 g), fats (0.1 g), carbohydrates (about 4 g), B vitamins - (B1, B2, B9), vitamins C, E, PP, thiamine, beta- carotene, asparagine, macro and microelements - potassium, magnesium, calcium, zinc, phosphorus, iron, dietary fiber.
Rhizomes and roots of asparagus contain asparagine, steroidal saponins, carbohydrates (up to 3.1%), coumarin, traces of essential oil, carotenoids.
Asparagus grass contains glycoside coniferin, chelidonic and succinic acids, saponins, asparagine, tyrosine.
Ripe fruits contain sugars (up to 36%), organic acids - (malic and citric), physamine, capsanthin, traces of alkaloids.

What is asparagus useful for? Asparagus shoots are not only a delicacy, but also have certain beneficial properties, as they contain a lot of vitamins, minerals and other useful substances.
So, for example, nicotinic acid (vitamin PP) contained in asparagus is involved in brain activity, metabolism, helps to reduce the level of substances that can clog blood vessels - (cholesterol, triglyceride, lipoprotein).
Vitamin B1 (thiamine) is part of many enzymes, is involved in carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism, in the nervous system, and has antioxidant properties.
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) maintains normal visual function, promotes the production of serotonin, hemoglobin, red blood cells, corticosteroids, maintains healthy skin, hair, nails, and promotes the absorption of other vitamins (B6, B9) and minerals (iron) by the body.
Vitamin B9 (folic acid) maintains new body cells in a healthy state, so this vitamin is important especially during pregnancy, when the fetus is formed and develops. Normal sperm production also depends on this vitamin.
Asparagine dilates blood vessels and increases urine output (diuretic property). This helps prevent hypertension and edema.
Carotenoids support the visual system, have an antioxidant effect (prevent premature aging).
Dietary fiber contained in asparagus cleanses the body of toxins, stimulates the evacuation function of the gastrointestinal tract, thereby contributing to the prevention of constipation.

Medicinal properties of asparagus.
Since ancient times, the benefits of asparagus and its medicinal properties have been known. Asparagus preparations have vasodilating, diuretic, hypotensive, sedative, lactogenic properties. They lower blood pressure, slow down the heart rate, increase the amplitude of heart contractions, increase diuresis, and improve liver function.
A decoction of rhizomes with asparagus roots will be indicated for cystitis, pyelonephritis, urolithiasis, prostate adenoma, liver cirrhosis, cardiovascular diseases, which are accompanied by swelling of the lower extremities and ascites.
It is also used for diabetes, gout, rheumatism; as a sedative for tachycardia, epilepsy; as a blood purifier for acne, eczema and other skin rashes.
Instead of a decoction of rhizomes with roots, you can use a decoction of asparagus herb. Especially, it is recommended for heart neuroses and kidney diseases.
A decoction of rhizomes or herbs is used to increase milk production in nursing mothers (lactagon property). An infusion of the fruit is used to treat impotence and hemorrhoids.
Outwardly, a decoction of rhizomes in the form of lotions is used to treat pustular rashes.

Dosage forms and doses.
A decoction of rhizomes with asparagus roots. 1 tablespoon of dry chopped raw materials per 500 ml of water, after boiling, boil over low heat for 10 minutes, remove from heat, filter after cooling. Take half a glass 4 p. per day 20 minutes before meals. This decoction is also used as an external agent (in the form of lotions).
A decoction of asparagus herb. 2 tablespoons of dry chopped grass per 500 ml of water, after boiling, boil over low heat for 5 minutes, remove from heat, filter after cooling. Take half a glass 4 p. per day 20 minutes before meals.
Infusion of asparagus berries. 5 pieces of berries are placed in a thermos, poured with a glass of boiling water, insisted for 7-8 hours, filtered. Take 1 tablespoon 3-4 r. in a day.

Asparagus (asparagus) is one of the most delicious, healthy and expensive vegetable crops. The first sprouts of asparagus, which are white, green, pinkish green, or purple, are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. The color of the sprouts depends on the method of cultivation and the time of collection. Green asparagus grows like a regular vegetable in the garden; sprouts of white asparagus spud so that they do not get light; and the sprouts become purple after “sunbathing” - they do not immediately spud it, allowing the tender shoots to soak up the sun.

Asparagus. © packolkata

Young, tender shoots can be eaten raw or quickly steamed, in water, in the oven, or grilled. Asparagus is one of the earliest vegetables of the new season: harvest of young shoots begins in April-May.

Asparagus is a genus of plants in the asparagus family. In total, up to 100 species of asparagus are known, scattered throughout the world, mainly in a dry climate. Some types of asparagus are herbs, others are shrubs that develop an underground rhizome and above-ground more or less branched stems, in many species they are creeping. The most common species in the world is Asparagus officinalis, or Common asparagus, or Pharmacy asparagus, or Asparagus ( Asparagus officinalis). The upper parts of asparagus sprouts (about 20 cm) are used worldwide as a delicacy in cooking.

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Growing seedlings of asparagus

Seedlings of asparagus are grown from seeds, sowing them in open ground or seedling pots.

Seedling care consists of timely watering, loosening the soil and removing weeds. With good care, healthy plants are formed by autumn, with a powerful rhizome and 3-5 shoots 25-40 cm high. Before the onset of frost, in October, the above-ground shoots of asparagus are cut 10 cm above the soil surface. In this form, plants overwinter. In the spring, seedlings are dug up and transplanted to a permanent place. When choosing a site, it is necessary to take into account that this is a perennial plant. It is best to place the asparagus near a wall or along a fence.

The site selected for asparagus is cleared of weeds in the fall. 15-20 kg / m² of organic fertilizer is evenly scattered on the soil surface and dug deep. In the spring, seedlings are planted in rows on the site. Rows of asparagus are placed at a distance of 70 cm from each other. Holes are dug in rows with a depth of 30 and a diameter of 40 cm. Humus is poured into the bottom of the hole, on which seedlings are planted. The height of the mound should reach the edges of the hole. If the soil was well seasoned with organic fertilizer in the fall, then you can not pour humus into the holes (although it will not hurt), but replace it with loose soil.

At seedlings of asparagus, before planting, the roots are shortened, leaving them 3-4 cm long. The roots are evenly distributed over the mound, sprinkled with a layer of earth 5-7 cm thick, compacted and watered. When the water is absorbed, the hole is mulched with earth. Over the summer, you can do one or two fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizer (25 g / m²). In autumn, the aisles are dug up, and the dried stems are cut 10 cm above the soil level. In the second year of the plant's life, care for it is the same as in the first.

During the first two years of row spacing, asparagus can be sown with crops such as radishes, watercress, lettuce, and vegetable beans.

As for the actual technology of growing seedlings, there are two ways.

Asparagus. © Nino Fruits

Direct sowing of asparagus seeds in seedling beds

It is better to start sowing seeds of asparagus in seedling ridges in the third decade of May. So, we take the seeds and sow. But keep in mind: dry ones will only sprout in 20–30 days. Are you ready to wait this long? Not? Then it is better to pre-soak them. That is, fill with water (30-35 ° C) for 5-6 days and change it daily. To maintain the desired temperature, a container of seeds (say, a small plastic bottle) can be placed near the radiator or in another warm place.

After this period, asparagus seeds are placed in a damp cloth or paper for 3-7 days - let them germinate. To prevent the fabric or paper from drying out, cover it with a plastic bag. Just soaked seeds sprout on the 10-15th day, and those that have been pecked - already on the 7-8th.

In the meantime, asparagus seeds germinate, you can prepare a seedling bed. That is, add 10 kg (bucket) of rotted manure or compost and 100 g / m² of complex fertilizer per 1 square meter of land. Dig the soil, loosen and level. The distance between the beds should be from 25–30 to 40 cm. Seeds are sown to a depth of 2 cm and at a distance of 5–7 cm. And after 3–4 weeks, seedlings will need to be thinned out, leaving only the strongest shoots at a distance of 10–15 cm.

Asparagus seedlings grow slowly and after a month and a half reach only 10–15 cm in height. Therefore, it remains on the seed beds for a long time, one or two seasons. All this time, it needs to be carefully looked after: regularly weed and water, in June, once or twice, feed with nitrogen fertilizers (ammonium nitrate, urea, 10 g / m²) or slurry diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 6.

As a result, by the end of August, the plants will have 2-4 shoots and a small rhizome. It needs to be prepared for winter by feeding it in late August - early September with phosphorus and potassium (any autumn fertilizer according to the instructions on the package). And when the aerial part of the asparagus dies off in October, cover the plantings with humus or peat with a layer of about 3 cm. You can cover them with spruce branches or fallen leaves.

Asparagus. © Shihmei Barger

Planting potted seedlings of asparagus

Potted seedlings of asparagus are good because, unlike plants immediately sown in the ground, they allow you to win half a month or a month and by autumn get more developed young plants that are better prepared for winter.

The procedures are the same as for planting in seedling beds: soaking, germinating and sowing. Only it is necessary to sow early, in early - mid-May, and not into the ground, but into pots with a capacity of 100–200 ml or into seedling cassettes. For sowing asparagus, you can use barely hatched seeds with a root of 1–3 mm. Seedlings with a spine of 20–25 mm are also suitable, but in order not to damage it, you will have to plant the seeds especially carefully.

The soil for pots can be used the same as for seedlings of cucumbers, or you can prepare "asparagus": mix garden soil, rotted manure, peat and sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 1: 1. Then only the classic simple care remains: watering, loosening, turning to the light in different directions, gradual hardening.

You can plant seedlings in open ground in early June.

Asparagus Care

In the second year after planting asparagus seedlings, mineral fertilizers are applied, then the soil along the rows of plants should be loosened as soon as possible, trying not to damage the roots.

In dry weather, make sure that the soil under the plants remains moist. In dry soil, asparagus shoots become fibrous and take on a bitter taste.

In October, drying shoots of asparagus should be carefully cut off near the ground, trying not to damage the rhizome, and burned. In plants that are not affected by rust and asparagus fly, the tops can not be cut, it will protect the roots from freezing in winter. Seedlings of asparagus in a nursery in severe frosts in the absence of snow or a small snow cover should be covered with leaves, straw or manure.

In autumn, annual, biennial plantings and fruiting plants should be fed with superphosphate (0.3-0.5 kg per 10 m²) and 40% potassium salt (0.25-0.35 kg). After fertilization, the soil between the rows is deeply loosened. This must be done carefully so as not to damage the roots and seedlings of asparagus.

Good results are obtained by autumn mulching with peat with a layer of 8-10 cm for better wintering. In early spring, the mulch is loosened and embedded in the soil as top dressing. This operation is carried out annually.

In April, the soil, poured in the form of rolls on rows of fruit-bearing asparagus, should be carefully leveled and lightly tamped. In this way, it will not be difficult to detect cracks in the soil above the asparagus seedlings (the appearance of cracks indicates that the seedlings can be cut). The width of the rolls at the base in the first years of cultivation should be 40 cm, in the subsequent years - 50-60 cm.

Asparagus. © Gwendolyn Stansbury

Harvesting asparagus

In the third year after planting, if the plants are strong and bushy enough, they start harvesting. If the plants are weak, harvesting is postponed to the next year and the asparagus is cared for in the same way as in the second year of cultivation.

Harvesting of asparagus shoots starts from the 3rd year. However, before harvesting, in early spring, the aisles are deeply loosened, and the plants are highly spudded with soil and humus. In the II-III decade of April, shoots appear above the soil. When they reach technical maturity (5-7 cm in height and 0.7-1.0 cm in diameter), the soil is carefully raked and the asparagus shoots are cut off at the soil surface, then they are again spudded.

Shoots are cut as they form every 3 days for 20-25 days. In the 3rd year of life, up to 5 shoots are removed from one plant. In subsequent years, up to 15 shoots can be harvested within 30-40 days. After harvesting, each plant should have at least 3-5 shoots, which, developing, form powerful stems with branches of the 2nd-5th order, covered with cladodes, thanks to which the plants accumulate plastic substances.

For the fourth year and beyond, care for asparagus is the same as for the third year.

Care of asparagus plants in the post-harvest period should be especially thorough, since it is at this time that the foundation for the future crop is laid. It is recommended to scatter humus, wood ash or fertilizer mixture between the rows, plant them 5-7 cm into the soil, then water them. The soil must be loosened after each watering or rain. In winter, asparagus can be harvested by forcing. For a family of three, it is enough to have 15-20 asparagus bushes in the garden.

Diseases and pests of asparagus

Red rot of asparagus roots is caused by the fungus Helicobasidium purpureum.

In diseased plants, the root collar and roots die off. The death of the roots leads to the death of the above-ground part of the plant. As the disease spreads, a bald spot forms on the site.
If the infection is not very strong, then the place of accumulation of the infection must be treated with "Fundazol" and isolated with a thick plastic film. In case of severe infection, the plants are destroyed and a new plantation is laid.

The asparagus leaf beetle appears on plants in the middle of summer. Small yellow and black bugs, their black larvae destroy foliage. To control pests, special insecticides are used - Aktellik, Fitoverm, Fufanon, etc., be sure to follow the instructions.

Asparagus is also damaged by polyphagous pests - familiar bears, slugs, beetles, wireworms, etc.

The wonderful taste of asparagus and its unpretentiousness make this plant a popular "inhabitant" of many vegetable gardens! How do you grow asparagus?

Alena stands under a green veil,
Beads picked up from red coral.

Asparagus officinalis L.

is a perennial herbaceous plant of the lily family (Liliaceae). It is found throughout the European part of Russia, in the Caucasus, in Western Siberia. Grows on grassy slopes, water meadows, among bushes. Cultivated in orchards and orchards.

In the spring, when bird cherry blossoms, on sunny sandy slopes, along the edges of forests, juicy shoots of asparagus, sticking out in columns, covered with membranous scales, appear - these are modified leaves, in the axils of which there are shoots in the form of needle-shaped leaves. The height of its stems is more than a meter, especially if it is grown in the garden. Its flowers are small, bell-shaped, greenish-yellow, and the fruit is a globular red berry.

Medicinal raw materials are roots and young shoots, fruits. Rhizomes and roots contain asparagine and saponin, shoots - asparagine, carotene and vitamins B, C, fatty oils and sugars are found in fruits.

The plant has diuretic, laxative, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, blood-purifying and soothing action.

Infusion and decoction of roots and shoots used for rheumatism, joint pain, skin diseases (acne, rash), dropsy, inflammation of the bladder and urinary tract, difficulty urinating, kidney disease, as a sedative - for epilepsy palpitations.

In Georgia, it is used for heart disease, liver disease, kidney stones, and scrofula. Fruits and water infusion of fruits are taken for sexual impotence.

To prepare an infusion, 3 teaspoons of roots, young shoots or grass are infused for 2 hours in a glass of boiling water. Filter and take 1-2 tablespoons 3 times a day (Makhlayuk, 1992).

Preparations from asparagus have a vasodilating effect. It is used for high blood pressure and as a means of increasing the contraction of the heart (Florya, 1975).

Aerial green parts are used as a hemostatic agent for gynecological bleeding, neurasthenia and pulmonary tuberculosis (Kuznetsova, 1941).

Preparations from asparagus used for dropsy, nephrolithiasis, cystitis, prostatitis, gastric diseases, bladder stones (Solodukhin, 1989).

Asparagus preparations have an anti-atherosclerotic effect, have a positive effect on metabolism, promote the excretion of chlorides, phosphates, uric acid and urea from the body (Pastushenkov, 1990).

Asparagus has long been used in dietary nutrition for diabetes (Nikolaichuk, 1992).

In Bulgaria, asparagus is used in the treatment of liver cirrhosis, prostate adenoma and as a lactogenic agent (Petkov, 1988).

asparagus fruit used for dysentery (Sviridonov, 1992).

Infusion made from berries and asparagus roots, used to increase vitality, with gout, diabetes, impotence, externally with eczema. The intake of asparagus lowers blood pressure, increases the contraction of the heart muscle, slows down the heart rate, expands the peripheral vessels, and the extract gives a longer decrease in blood pressure, with no side effects observed. Decoctions of asparagus are recommended for use in diseases of the kidneys and bladder, in addition, they have an anticonvulsant effect.

The plant was used as an ornamental, food (vegetable) and medicine. Its root and young shoots excite (strengthen) the excretory function of the kidneys, and have a calming effect on the work of the heart. Decoctions from the roots of asparagus are used in folk medicine for dropsy, inflammation of the bladder, difficulty urinating, as a sedative for palpitations, as well as for rheumatism, epilepsy and impotence, externally - for various rashes on the skin. Asparagus extract, compared with asparagine, causes a longer and deeper decrease in blood pressure. Without changing the filtration capacity of the renal glomeruli, asparagine and asparagus extract significantly reduce the reabsorption function of the convoluted tubules of the kidneys. In an animal experiment, it was found that when administered intravenously, they cause peripheral vasodilation and lower blood pressure, increase the strength of heart contractions, slow down the heart rate, and increase diuresis.

The aerial part of medicinal asparagus (without thick stems), according to the observations of G. N. Kovaleva (1971), has a vasodilating, reducing the excitability of the central nervous system and a diuretic property. She recommends it for heart neurosis and kidney disease.

In the past, syrups were prepared from the rhizomes and roots of asparagus, which, presumably, have medicinal value, taking into account the pharmacological properties of asparagus.

As G. N. Kovaleva notes, its rhizomes are official in France, Mexico, Portugal and Venezuela (Klan, 1948).

The main active ingredient of asparagus is asparagine, which is found in the rhizomes and roots of its various types. Asparagine is a natural amino acid that plays an important role in nitrogen metabolism, widely distributed in proteins and in the free state.

In the body, asparagine is synthesized from aspartic acid and ammonia with the participation of ATP and under the influence of the enzyme asparagine synthetase. Aspartic acid is involved in the most important metabolic reactions. It is found not only in medicinal asparagus, but also in other plants of this genus:

• Dahurian asparagus, used for gynecological bleeding and neurasthenia (M. N. Varlakov, 1931; G. E. Kurentsova, 1941);
• Shoberiform asparagus, known in folk medicine as a hemostatic and diuretic (I. I. Brekhman, 1969; G. E. Kurentsova, 1941).

Methods of preparation and use

1. The crushed raw materials (60 g) of roots and rhizomes are poured into 1 liter of boiling water, brought to a boil in a water bath for 15 minutes, cooled for 45 minutes at room temperature and filtered. Assign inside 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.

2. Three teaspoons of crushed young shoots are poured into a glass of boiling water, left to cool for 2 hours, filtered. Assign inside 1-2 tablespoons 3 times a day for 3-4 weeks.

Asparagus grows everywhere in Western Siberia. More than four millennia ago, it has already begun to be cultivated in Egypt, Greece, Rome, and in Europe it has been cultivated since the 11th century.

Unfortunately, in our country this first-class vegetable is underestimated and rarely used. Meanwhile young shoots of asparagus very tasty and healthy food. Salads, soups can be prepared from them, it can be preserved, marinated, fried. Fresh shoots should be stored in the refrigerator, where they retain their palatability for up to three months.

Asparagus casserole: chop 20-30 young shoots of asparagus, wash, boil for 3-5 minutes in salt water and cut, then roll in breadcrumbs and put in a pan, add onion and vegetable oil, pour over beaten egg, sprinkle with finely chopped dill and serve.

Asparagus soup: fry finely chopped pieces of asparagus in butter and fill them with any vegetable soup.

Asparagus with mayonnaise: boil the right amount of asparagus, put it in a colander, season with mayonnaise with finely chopped garlic and serve with half a boiled egg per serving, sprinkled with fresh parsley or crushed cumin.