Would you like to get hands-on with hop shoots yourself? Here are some tips and fun facts to get you started.
The 10 Commandments of Hop Shoots
Always buy fresh hop shoots. Good ones are white and crisp.
Clean them properly: snap (don’t cut) off the fibrous bottom end.
Rinse them thoroughly 5 to 6 times in cold water to remove all soil and sand.
Boil them as soon as possible after washing, in lightly salted water with the juice of half a lemon.
Always use three times as much water as hop shoots.
Boil for just a few minutes, then immediately cool in ice water to keep them crisp.
Never remove hop shoots from the hot water with your bare hands after blanching.
Reheat briefly in cream and nutmeg to preserve their colour.
Store for no longer than three days in the fridge.
After blanching, always cover them to protect from light and keep them submerged in liquid — hop shoots dry out very quickly. Never reheat them more than once, or they’ll lose their crunch.
Did you know?
Hop shoots are known as the most expensive vegetable in the world.
Hop shoots grown in open soil are harvested from early March to mid-April.
They are only available directly from the growers.
Hop shoots have a mild nutty flavour, but mostly, they just taste like... hop shoots.
Raw hop shoots offer a pure flavour experience, though their taste also holds up well when cooked with cream.
The traditional hop shoot dish includes a poached farm egg — a true Flemish classic.
For a starter, you should count on about 50g of hop shoots per person.
Hop shoots are high in protein and low in calories.
There are many hop shoot-based products available for enthusiasts.
