It doesn't quite feel like spring is officially here until asparagus has been spotted, does it? We saw several bunches for sale this past week and are looking forward to eating as much asparagus as we can until its brief season is over. If you're new to this vegetable, here are the best ways to pick, clean, and cook them!
Buying the Best - Look for asparagus that are plump and straight. Check out the ends and put back any bunches with dry, split, or excessively woody stems as this is a sign of older asparagus. Thick or thin asparagus is really a matter of personal taste - thin spears are more tender and sweet, while fatter stems have a meatier texture and stronger asparagus flavor.
Store asparagus in the refrigerator in a loose plastic grocery bag. Use them within a few days of buying.
Cleaning Asparagus - Rinse the spears under cool water to remove any grit. Snap off the bottom inch or so using your fingers; the stems will naturally break where the tough woody part ends and the tender stem begins. Dry the spears by rolling them between two kitchen towels. You can leave the spears whole or cut them into smaller bite-sized pieces for a stir-fry or other preparation.
Really thick asparagus can sometimes develop a tough outer skin. It's not strictly necessary, but you can peel this coating away with a vegetable peeler.
Cooking Asparagus - Our personal favorite way to prepare asparagus is to coat it with a little olive oil, sprinkle it with salt, and roast it in the oven or under the broiler until the outside picks up some browned crispy bits. We could, and have, eaten an entire bunch at once when cooked this way!
You can also steam asparagus spears or poach them in salted boiling water. When you get tired of eating asparagus on its own, you can throw bite-sized pieces in a stir-fry, in frittata, or in a pasta sauce.
However you choose to prepare them, asparagus is done when it's tender and still has a slight bite to it. Undercooked asparagus will be difficult to chew, and overcooked asparagus will taste mushy. You can pierce the spears with a fork or skewer to gauge how cooked they are, but we prefer to just bite into one!
What are your favorite ways to eat asparagus?
Related: Easter Brunch: Cold Asparagus Two Ways
(Image: Flickr member bensonkua licensed under Creative Commons)
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Comments (25)
I like when the asparagus is overcooked and mushy with some butter and salt. Mmm.
I just made asparagus with morel mushrooms in a creamy pasta sauce last night..... DELICIOUS!!!!!
I've def stopped buying frozen asparagus. Bleh.
I love just cooking asparagus in a big frying pan! evoo & salt/pepper. Crispy and yummy.
I like asparagus poached with cheddar melted on top and an over-medium egg on top. Or wrapped with procciuto and broiled. Grilled, too.
And now I know what's going on my list this weekend for veggies.
What a coincidence! Asparagus with morel mushrooms is on my menu tonight as well!
Thin stalks of asparagus, cut diagonally into bite-sized sections, are AMAZING with white flaky fish in parchment. Bed of asparagus, drizzle of lemon butter, fish with black pepper, and another couple of spoonsful of lemon butter... it was the dish that finally convinced my husband that asparagus is more than soggy spears to be eaten with (shudder) mayonnaise.
MAYONNAISE.
Yum! Yes with a poached egg on top is heaven!
Asparagus in a quinoa salad dressed with a lemon vinaigrette and topped with a soft-boiled egg tastes like spring to me.
Olive oil, salt, pepper, on the grill for a few minutes and a little squeeze of lemon.
I prefer the really skinny asparagus, and always choose the thinnest bunch I can find. I cut off the ends, throw them into a really hot pan with olive oil, toss in some salt and "sear" them. Depending on the thickness, I'll put the lid on for a moment at the end to steam, but I do prefer the asparagus to have a bit of a crunch. Once cooked, I turn off the heat squeeze in some lemon juice and crack some pepper on top. It's so easy awesome. I wish asparagus was in season all year!
I have gotten big bunches from my CSA and have been parboiling them so they don't dry out in the fridge. Lately I have really been liking them cold and tossed in spring greens salads with balsamic vinegar, but I am tempted by the white fish treatment described by elise_the_great!
My husband and I both love Smitten Kitchen's recipe for pasta with goat cheese with Asparagus. It is fantastic. Perfect for this time of year!
http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/05/asparagus-goat-cheese-and-lemon-pasta/
I made creamy asparagus soup last night and it was so delicious! Tasted like springtime.
I've been on an asparagus kick this week. The last couple of nights I've made frittatas. Tonight I'm going to sautee asparagus, mushrooms, garlic and slivered almonds in a little olive oil and toss it with some angel hair pasta.
my boyfriend and I tried this recipe the other day (http://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2008/05/lentil-goat-cheese-and-asparagus-salad.html) it was the most wonderful, flavorful, light dinner I've had in a long time!
I agree with katiewalker, asparagus with a poached egg on top or with hollandaise sauce--can't be beat!
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Grilled or roasted w/olive oil, salt and pepper. If I am feeling 'adventurous', I grate some fresh parmesan over the top. ;-)
Steamed asparagus with strawberries and a light balsamic vinaigrette are great together, topped with some walnuts and feta or goat cheese.
Simple roast asparagus is tops with me too.
I store asparagus standing up in a cup or small bowl with a little bit of water at the bottom in my fridge. I manage to keep stems stored like that for a week without any of them going wilty.
I've had less success with plastic bags, personally.
Just made this recipe last night using some fresh chicken stock I had made a few weeks ago:
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/1324
Creamy and delicious but not too heavy, yum!
The microwave, to my mind, is the easiest and best way to do asparagus. (Yes, yes, provided one has a microwave, but still...)
Anyway, my favorite spring dinner is asparagus on toast, with a fried egg and simple, peppery cheese sauce. Roasted, miso-marinaded and grilled, with butter and salt, just plain, etc...the stuff is good. Yes, even with mayonnaise (kewpie, please).
Go asparagus! I cooked asparagus with shittake mushrooms and a little pancetta over linguine for supper tonight. Yum.
Saute some mushrooms, scallions, ginger, sesame oil. Add broth and soy, then cubed tofu. Serve with cooked asparagus, brown rice, and sunflower seeds or peanuts. Delicious!
@ihateacrylic - That is exactly how I prepare it...sans the lemon (which I'll now try). I also will sliver up a garlic clove to saute right along with the asparagus and it's pretty awesome.
Fry up some onion slices in a skillet. (I like to use a butter and good oil combo) Remove the onions (but not the little bits) and pour out most of the oil/butter leaving a nice film all across the bottom of the skillet. Turn down the heat a bit. Toss in some thin asparagus give it a good stir to coat the veggies and help them not stick. Pop on a lid and let the asparagus cook a bit and get a nice bit of caramelizing on the bottom. Take of the lid, toss in the onions, stir and cook just a bit more to evaporate the liquid (you may need to turn the heat back up).
Takes like, 10 minutes or less and is really yummy. This is something I do with spinach, green beans, all kinds of stuff. Not a "real" recipe cause you just go by looks and what you like. So basic, probably lots of people have this "recipe".
@rachpie-- I tried the quinoa salad and poached egg idea. Chopped up some fresh rosemary and parsley for the quinoa, too. DELICIOUS! The lemon vinaigrette makes it... Thanks for the tip!