Cooking asparagus...

[untateve]

I am not an individual that eats, nor cooks, many vegetables. I do not enjoy their flavor, aroma, or texture.

 

However, Friday is my wife's birthday and Sunday is mother's day and therefore, my wife gets the menu she wants. I'm all set on the main course as she has requested my cashew chicken over cheesy rice. She has also informed me that she would like asparagus. She mentioned something about throwing on some parmesean and butter, etc.

 

My request of those of you more knowledgeable than me--simple asparagus recipes that are delicious. It would be most appreciated if you could describe the cooking method as if I were 6-7 years old to insure I make no errors.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Grits and Shins]

I like asparagus best when it is roasted on the grill. Add a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper and grill. It can also be roasted in the oven.

 

My son who detested asparagus for many years ... even to the point of getting a gag reflex when he put it in his mouth ... actually enjoys roasted asparagus.

[detlef]

Certainly grilled is delicious but that requires firing up the grill just for that. If you go that route. Blanch it briefly in boiling water, cool it, toss it in olive oil, s+p and grill briefly. That's the thing, if you don't have a gas grill, you're going to go through all that effort and then cook asparagus for literally about 1-2 minutes. Kind of a long climb for a short run.

 

First off, you need to snap it rather than cut off the end with a knife. If you hold each stalk at the ends and bend it, it will break where the tender part starts. You can do two at a time but not more than that.

 

Other options, Sauteed with garlic and garnished with parmesean cheese. In this case, you don't need to blanch it. Just start some olive oil in a large pan (that you have a lid for). Add the garlic and asp. Cook for a minute shaking frequently enough so the garlic doesn't burn. Then add about 1/4-1/2 cup water or stock and cover. This steaming process will finish it up nicely. Mounting some butter into the liquid at the end is nice as it will cling to the veggies. then just grate the cheese on top.

 

Blanched asparagus salad with fennel and orange. Blanch like above and toss with shaved fennel, lemon juice, olive oil, s+p and garnish with orange segments.

 

Both the second choices are rather classic Italian preparations.

[Bonehand]

I like asparagus best when it is roasted on the grill. Add a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper and grill. It can also be roasted in the oven.

 

 

+1. Exactly. First, break of the woody ends of the asparagus (if you break them by hand the stalk will usually snap off right where it needs to). Then toss them with the extra virgin Olive oil, salt & pepper. Then grill, & when complete, squeeze a little fresh lemon juice over it.

 

This preparation is delicious, even my young son and daughter love asparagus done this way, and that's saying something given that their appreciation for vegetables is pretty much what you'd expect from a 7 & 4 year old.

 

ETA: ah, detlef beat me to it...one thing I would quantify in detlef's post is that the need for blanching with the grill method is dictated by the size of the stalk. If the asparagus is particularly thick and tough, then you should blanche first, but thin tender baby asparagus like we get here in WA cooks fine without blanching, if you blanched these the stalks they wouldn't stand up to the grilling and would go limp instead of al dente.

Edited May 10, 2007 by Bonehand

[Bier Meister]

several that are very simple:

 

cut about an inch off at bottom. oil, balsamic vin, s&p.... can grill or roast. variation- add julienne portobellas and thinnly sliced leeks.

 

if your cashew chicken has an asian flair: toasted sesame oil, soy, sambal olek.

 

 

sauting: boil asparagus until half to three quarter cooked. throw a little clarified butter in hot saute pan. add asparagus and pinch of s&p. add minced garlic and minced shallot a minute beofre done. before they brown add a little water....

Edited May 10, 2007 by Bier Meister

[detlef]

+1. Exactly. First, break of the woody ends of the asparagus (if you break them by hand the stalk will usually snap off right where it needs to). Then toss them with the extra virgin Olive oil, salt & pepper. Then grill, & when complete, squeeze a little fresh lemon juice over it.

 

This preparation is delicious, even my young son and daughter love asparagus done this way, and that's saying something given that their appreciation for vegetables is pretty much what you'd expect from a 7 & 4 year old.

 

ETA: ah, detlef beat me to it...one thing I would quantify in detlef's post is that the need for blanching with the grill method is dictated by the size of the stock. If the asparagus is particularly thick and tough, then you should, but thin tender baby asparagus like we get here in WA cooks fine without blanching, if you blanched these the stalks wouldn't stand up to the grilling and would go limp instead of al dente.

 

For the record, where asparagus comes from doesn't really have much impact on the thickness of it. Nor does, for that matter, how soon it is picked. Thicker asparagus simply comes from more mature root stock but it is as thick as it will ever be as soon as the stalk breaks the surface of the earth. Also, unlike some other veggies, "baby" asparagus shouldn't be anymore coveted than thick stalked asparagus. They just tend to be better for different things. If you snap off the woody end, it will be every bit as tender even eaten raw. It may have more "snap" but won't be any chewier.

 

The larger stuff is certainly better in applications like pasta, risotto, or stir-fry where the asparagus is to be slivered. Also, IMO it is better to grill because the smaller stuff has too much surface area and thus picks up too much grill flavor which overwhelms the flavor of the asparagus.

 

I like the thin stuff for salads or when it is sauteed whole like the prep I mentioned above.

[Bier Meister]

i actually like par-cooking the asparagus for sauting, grilling, and roasting.... when roasting with the portobellas and leeks i either roast them all all the way or par-cook the asparagus, set aside... saute the mushrooms and leeks abotu half way... then finish by roasting

[Bier Meister]

i also peel the biggin's

 

 

edit: and prefer sauteing the babies. prefer grilling the large. fine roasting both.

Edited May 10, 2007 by Bier Meister

[Yukon Cornelius]

grill..

[Yukon Cornelius]

im just waitng for the wild patches i have around my house to kick in... morels and wild asparagus... yum yum

[detlef]

im just waitng for the wild patches i have around my house to kick in... morels and wild asparagus... yum yum

 

I have a raised bed devoted to asparagus in our garden but the season is nearly over for us.

[Yukon Cornelius]

I have a raised bed devoted to asparagus in our garden but the season is nearly over for us.

 

just getting started here and we have some in the garden also but the wild stuff is the bomb

[sundaynfl]

Another tip with store bought asparagas is to cut the ends off when you get home and set them standing up in a bowl with a little water. Asparagas tends to dry out when it sits around the store or in your fridge.

[Brewer]

I keep it simple. Snap the ends off as mentioned earlier. Toss asparagus with a little olive oil and garlic. place in foil packet, salt and pepper, squeeze lemon juice over it. Fold into a packet and put on the corner of the grill. Takes two minutes to do and is very tastey.

[Bonehand]

For the record, where asparagus comes from doesn't really have much impact on the thickness of it. Nor does, for that matter, how soon it is picked. Thicker asparagus simply comes from more mature root stock but it is as thick as it will ever be as soon as the stalk breaks the surface of the earth. Also, unlike some other veggies, "baby" asparagus shouldn't be anymore coveted than thick stalked asparagus. They just tend to be better for different things. If you snap off the woody end, it will be every bit as tender even eaten raw. It may have more "snap" but won't be any chewier.

 

The larger stuff is certainly better in applications like pasta, risotto, or stir-fry where the asparagus is to be slivered. Also, IMO it is better to grill because the smaller stuff has too much surface area and thus picks up too much grill flavor which overwhelms the flavor of the asparagus.

 

I like the thin stuff for salads or when it is sauteed whole like the prep I mentioned above.

 

 

By "baby", I was referring to size of the stalks, not the age of the plant (of which I know nothing), nor the amount of which said type should be coveted. The varieties of asparagus grown in the Yakima valley in Washington, and what tends to be available in the market this time of year, tend to be thinner, and don't hold up very well to blanching, in my experience.

[detlef]

By "baby", I was referring to size of the stalks, not the age of the plant (of which I know nothing), nor the amount of which said type should be coveted. The varieties of asparagus grown in the Yakima valley in Washington, and what tends to be available in the market this time of year, tend to be thinner, and don't hold up very well to blanching, in my experience.

 

Sorry if it seemed like I was busting your <<enter any of the countless terms offered in recent thread here>>. I just thought your post seemed like a good launching point for an asparagus primer.

[Kid Cid]

If you want to try something a bit different, here's my favorite non-grilling way to do asparagus. This is a recipe from Martin Yan called Asparagus with Sweet and Pungent Dressing. It's really quite simple so even untateve can do it.

 

1 pound asparagus, trimmed

1 teaspoon cooking oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

 

Dressing

2 tbs plum sauce

2 tbs rice vinegar

2 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs sesame oil

1 tsp chili oil

2 tsp sugar or honey

1/2 tsp dried mustard

 

Chopped toasted walnuts for garnish

 

Method

1. Cut asparagus diagonally into 1 1/2" slices. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add oil, salt and asparagus. Cook until asparagus is crisp-tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain, rinse w/ cold water, and drrain again. Pat dry w/ paper towels.

 

2. Combine dressing ingredients in a bowl. Add asparagus and toss to coat.

 

3. Arrange asparagus on a serving plate and garnish with walnuts.

[Sugar Magnolia]

I have the perfect recipe:this can be put on brocolli or asparagus. Probably works over poached fish.

 

Lemon Creme Sauce

 

4 TBSP of butter

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 egg

salt to taste

pepper to taste

2-3 TBSP of grated good aged parmesan cheese

1/4-1/2 tsp of fresh grated nutmeg or 3/4 tsp of ground nutmeg

3-4 TBSP of lemon juice

 

Melt butter in saucepan and add all but 2 TBSP of cream. Cook low heart for 5 min. In a bowl, beat together egg, salt, and pepper and remaining cream. Add cheese and nutmeg. While beating with a wire wisk, slowy add lemon juice. Stir this mixture into the butter/cream mixture and cook over medium heat until thickened so it coats the back of a spoon. Pour over steamed asparagus (or probably works okay over grilled).

 

This is a nice departure from traditional hollandaise and has the parmesan and butter you are looking for.

It's also very easy. I do this a over asparagus at Thanksgiving when cooking for a big crowd. It comes together quickly.

[Zooty]

I love the stuff. Usually the grill or a steamer but this is the easiest way to do it.

 

Put it on a plate, add a couple pats of butter and microwave for 2.5 minutes. Any longer and it gets soggy. The lazy man way.

 

You could easily add the parmesan before it goes in.

[The Holy Roller]

I can eats me a LOT of the stuff. Told my children growing up it was awful and they should NEVER try it. Didn't work. We have a U-Pick'em farm not far from us and we enjoy asparagus a ton during the season. Since Mrs. HR is Italian we eat it mostly the way det described, steamed and seasoned. Your wife has tremendously good taste....

[twiley]

I can eats me a LOT of the stuff. Told my children growing up it was awful and they should NEVER try it. Didn't work. We have a U-Pick'em farm not far from us and we enjoy asparagus a ton during the season. Since Mrs. HR is Italian we eat it mostly the way det described, steamed and seasoned. Your wife has tremendously good taste....

My U-Pick'em is called a grocery store.

[The Holy Roller]

My U-Pick'em is called a grocery store.

 

 

Our price $.99. Grocery store (on sale!) $2.99. I'm just a cheapo. Plus it satisfies the hunter/gatherer in me.

[Kid Cid]

Our price $.99. Grocery store (on sale!) $2.99. I'm just a cheapo. Plus it satisfies the hunter/gatherer in me.

 

Men = hunter

Wimmins = gatherer

 

Unless those are wild herds of asparagus that have to be shot from a moving vehicle I'd say you've been hanging out with the wimmins too much.

[gilthorp]

My wife cooks it, I grill it.

 

I marinate it in Newman's Balsamic and let er rip on my Weber.

[untateve]

Other options, Sauteed with garlic and garnished with parmesean cheese. In this case, you don't need to blanch it. Just start some olive oil in a large pan (that you have a lid for). Add the garlic and asp. Cook for a minute shaking frequently enough so the garlic doesn't burn. Then add about 1/4-1/2 cup water or stock and cover. This steaming process will finish it up nicely. Mounting some butter into the liquid at the end is nice as it will cling to the veggies. then just grate the cheese on top.

 

I let my wife read this thread and she stated that she wanted this asparagus recipe. I was told that the asparagus was delicious and was ordered to save this recipe by all the mother's present (my wife, my sis-in-law, and my mother). The only awkward moment was when I mounted the butter.

 

My thanks to detlef for this recipe and to all of you as I've saved them all and plan to try others.