Pangasius Fillet with Asparagus and a Simple Salad

Asparagus are available throughout the year, but if they're not in season they are much more expensive! Asparagus are expensive because it costs a lot of time to grow them. If you start to grow them you will not have a proper asparagus for the first three years. The plant should first develop a network of roots and save a huge amount of nutrients and energy before they can produce the delicious shoots that we eat and love! This in combination with the low yields per square meter make it a luxurious vegetable. Asparagus are available throughout the year but it's best to eat them in season (in the Netherlands April - June) because the tastes are best if you eat them as soon as possible after they are harvested. In the other months they come from all over the world. They are still tasty but somewhat less then in Spring. So why do I still eat them when they are not in season? Well, it's one of the most nutritious vegetables that exists. They contain elements like magnesium, calcium, potassium, zinc, phosphorus and a variety of vitamins such as Vitamin B1, B2 and B6. It also is high in foliate which cannot be stored in the body and must therefore be re-consumed every day. It also contains asparagines which is a substance that has a favorable effect on liver dysfunction, insufficient kidney function and other processes in our bodies since it purifies the liver.

For this meal I combined asparagus with a pangasius fillet and a simple summer salad.

Duration: 15 minutes

The ingredients for 1 serving:

• 1 pangasius fillet
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tbs spelt flower
• 1 spelt bread
• 1 ts dill, parsley and basil (dried)
• juice 1/2 lemon 
• 5-6 green asparagus
• 1 ts thyme
• Handful of lettuce of your choice
• 1/4 cucumber
• Handful cherry tomatoes
• 1 tbs white wine vinegar
• Olive oil

What you do:

1. Boil some water in your kettle. First, you need to remove the dry somewhat woody bottom of the asparagus. You can cut it or you can just break the aspergus and it will break right at the point that you want to lose. Then boil them in a pan with plenty of water. The time they need to cook depends largely on size and on your preferences. They are done when they have softened. I like my vegetables to have a bite so I cooked them for about 6 minutes.
2. For the fish, make three plates, one with spelt flower, one with the beaten egg and one with thinly crumbled spelt bread (do this in your food processor). Then put the fish on a chopping board, sprinkle over the lemon, dill, parsley and basil on both sides and some salt & pepper. Then put the fish on the plate with the flower until everything is covered, followed by the egg and breadcrumbs. It's very important that you do this in this order!
3. Heat some olive oil in a pan and bake the fish for about 4 minutes each side until golden brown and done. 
4. Cut the cucumber and tomatoes, mix with the lettuce and the white wine vinegar and your salad is ready.
5. When the asparagus are done put them on your plate, sprinkle over 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the thyme. Put the fish on the plate and the salad and your delicious meal is ready to be eaten!

Enjoy!