Asparragus

Asparagus is a tender shoot from a wild plant that was so delicious it became domesticated.  The very intense flavour of wild asparagus is best consumed sautéed or within a tortilla. Cultivated asparagus, generally green or white and much thicker than its wild counterparts, has a more delicate and subtle flavour. Whites asparagus tends to be preserved in cans or glass jars. Ham pairs exceptionally well with all these varieties of asparagus: fresh, boiled, steamed, roasted or grilled.

There are two DPO (protected designations of origin) certified species: the world famous Navarra asparagus and the Huétor-Tájar asparagus from Granada. These are complementary products, rather than competitors, since the north produces thick, cultivated asparagus and the south follows a centuries-old tradition of growing wild asparagus.