I would steam them cently and add a bit of butter and a little salt....
Too delicate to stand up to much else.
But...you could roast them and wrap each stalk in a slice of proscuitto and serve as hors d'ouvres...but you will miss that delicate taste as the salty proscuitto will over power it.
Linda c

I love white asparagus. When my daughter lived in Germany, and we would visit, we ate lots and lots of white asparagus. And yes, they serve it with Hollandaise or just butter. The following is one way that I serve them, and everyone seems to like them. This is a great dish to take to pot luck dinners or serve as an appetizer.

CHILLED ASPARAGUS SALAD WITH GINGER DRESSING

Dressing:
¼ cup white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger
1 teaspoon soy sauce
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1/8 teaspoon wasabi
½ cup canola oil

Blend all ingredients except oil in a food process; with machine running slowly add oil. Cover and refrigerate.

Asparagus:
2 pounds fresh trimmed asparagus (Can use either green or white or a combination of the two.)

Blanch the asparagus by placing them into boiling water for 1 or 2 minutes, depending on how crisp you like your asparagus. Remove them and immediately plunge them into ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain and chill in the refrigerator.

Or steam the asparagus until it is tender crispy. Remove them and immediately plunge them into ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain and chill in the refrigerator.
Large lettuce leaves or fresh field greens

Serving:
Black & white sesame seeds, toasted for just a minute or so to release the oils
Lettuce and/or wild greens

Arrange the lettuce on a good size chilled platter, then put the wild greens on top of the lettuce, then arrange the asparagus on top and drizzle with the dressing. Sprinkle with both the roasted black and white sesame seeds. Add a little ginger to the plate for garnish. You can also add some cherry tomatoes for color.

Serves 6 to 8

I've seen white asparagus in the supermarket, but I've never tried them. Is there a difference in taste between the white and the green?

I usually just drizzle my green asparagus with a little olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast them in the oven for about 10-12 minutes (depending on the size of the stalks).

I prefer the white, because it has a more delicate flavor as far as I'm concerned.

Website http://www.ochef.com/332.htm states:

Q. Is there any flavor difference between white asparagus and green asparagus?

A. Yes. White asparagus, as you know, is grown covered in mounds of sandy soil so that it never sees the light of day until the moment it is unmercifully hewn down. Green asparagus grows freely in flat beds, and, exposed to the sunlight, develops the chlorophyll that turns it green. There are also varieties that are naturally purple or pink, and these, too, may be kept white if they are deprived of sunlight. In some cases, just the tips are allowed to color, and occasionally you can find white asparagus in the store with green or purple tips.

Lacking chlorophyll, white asparagus has a milder asparagus taste than the heartier green version. The purple variety, colored by a pigment called anthocyanin, has a more bitter taste than either white or green. One of our super-tasters on staff, though, swears that any white stalk sheÂs ever had was bitter, and has a clear preference for green asparagus.

As with almost any food (except Twinkies), there are variations in taste depending on where the food was grown or produced, the climate, soil conditions, etc. You might be able to find as much taste variation between two spears of green asparagus grown in different soils as between a white and green spear grown in similar conditions.

A German friend sends me photos of his dinners with white asparagus. It is served cooked on a plate with a gravy boat of melted butter, accompanied with whole boiled potatoes, hard cooked eggs, lettuce and slices of ham, arranged on another plate.

Here's one of his photos, where the asparagus and potato are on the same plate.

I imagine the butter bowl is out of sight or the butter has already been spooned over.

This portion is for one person.

SharonCb

I recently was out and had pasta with steamed asparagus, parmesan cheese and olive oil. It was very tasty.

Thanks to all for the most welcomed responses. Canarybird: That pic. looks sooo good. Great idea for dinner!
ltcollins: Great info. Most interesting and helpful. BTW, Belated Happy Birthday. Gloria

This healthy, fast and easy to make roasted yam recipe makes a great lunch or dinner side dish or main course for all ages. Tastes wonderful accompanying a meat main course. This recipe serves 4.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. potatoes, skins on and quartered

2 cups asparagus spears, halved

1 ½ cup mild and hot chili peppers, diced

1 tbsp. sunflower oil

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 tsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

1 tsp. cumin

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). Combine oil, garlic, cilantro and cumin. Season according to taste.

Add potatoes, asparagus and chilis. Coat well. Bake in a non-stick pan for 1 hour until potatoes are soft and browned. Serve hot as an accompaniment to roasted or barbecued meats and poultry. It is also great as a full meal for two with a chunky salad, a soup and lots of crusty bread.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tasty Recipes

The difference between white asparagus and ordinary green, is about equal to the differecne between oranges and lemons...or between chicken and lamb.
White asparagus has none of the "grassy" taste of green asparagus and because it has not had to fight the wind, it is much more tender.
It would ba a shame to waste white asparagus on a recipe that might hide it's delicate taste and cook it to a mush.
Gently cooked and served with a side of butter and perhaps lemon is about all I might want...Oh and maybe a Canary Island breeze wafting about!!
Linda C

Yes, I'm missing the white asparagus since I left Europe. Does anybody know, where I could get fresh white asparagus here in Missouri?

Here in south Texas, it is a seasonal veggie most of the time. I can get it at our local grocery stores, including the Super Wal-Mart. Also if you have any specialty grocery stores you might check them out too. The Whole Foods Store carries it in Texas. I'm sure that you can find it in your larger cities.

Good luck!