Description
The Espárrago de Navarra PGI is a vegetable (asparagus) obtained from the spears of asparagus from Asparagus officinalis L. species, violet or green. From Argenteuil, Desto, Ciprés, Juno, Dariana, Grolim, Steline and Thielim varieties.
Production Area
The production area of Espárrago de Navarra PGI is located in 263 municipal areas of the Autonomous Communities of Navarra, Aragon and La Rioja.
Production Method
The first year, the product is cultivated in February, while stalks sprout in spring and up to summer. The plant accumulates reserves in its root to vigorously sprout the following year. The second year in March, the part concerned is buried to slow down the coming up of asparaguses and to enable them to achieve a white colour. Between April and June, harvesting takes place daily, early in the morning to avoid sun rays. The first selection is made at the field to eliminate open or bent spears. After the pre-selection, the product is sold fresh or transformed into conserves which are made at the factory through a process which starts with washing to eliminate dirt and organic residuals; later a peeling process takes place to eliminate fibres. The following step is the immersion of the product into hot water or vapour at 87-95°C. Similar spears are classified and packed in tins or glass pots which will be vacuum-packed, sterilized and cooled quickly.
Appearance and Flavour
The Espárrago de Navarra PGI is classified depending on the colour, white or violet, the class: Extra, I and II, and the size: 17-22 cm and with a diameter of 12-16 mm.
History
The cultivation of Espárrago de Navarra PGI is traditional and passed down generation to generation; there are some bibliographic documents in a compendium of international cuisine, called El Practicón, dated back to 1893.
Gastronomy
The Espárrago de Navarra PGI, once harvested, must be stored in a fresh and dry room or in the refrigerator. The fresh asparaguses must be peeled with a cook's knife from above to the bottom, finally, the stalk must be cut and they must be washed in cold water. They must be cooked in a tall pot containing boiling water for about 20 minutes. Finally, they must be eaten lukewarm with a bit of olive oil to taste better their flavour. The cooking water must be used to flavour soups and risotto. The asparaguses can be combined with an array of recipes like seafood, fish, meat, olives, potatoes and artichokes seasoned with oil, vinegar, lemon or mayonnaise.
Marketing
The product is sold fresh in the classes Extra, I and II. The conserves of asparagus are only from Extra and I classes and can be whole, sliced and peeled or non-peeled. The Espárrago de Navarra PGI, when fresh, is packed in bunches of 500 gr, 1 or 2 kg; the conserves are sold in tin or glass pots which weigh 500 gr and 1 kg.
Distinctive Features
The production area has a very fertile ground, hills with altitudes spanning from 600 to 200 m, a Mediterranean climate with annual rainfalls of 400 mm. These elements together with the main component help to produce very high quality asparaguses with unique characteristics.
