We have a new favorite way to cook and eat asparagus. We love those tiny, thinner-than-pencil-thin asparagus spears, and yet when we sauté them we often find we misjudge the timing and they get mushy. We like crisp, tender spears, with just enough of a snap and yet not crunchy raw.
The easiest way to get this texture is to blanch them, and this is also so quick. Method below...
Don't try this with really thick spears - use the thinnest, freshest ones you can find.
Put a kettle of water on the stove to boil. Wash the asparagus spears. Trim the dried or hard ends off the bottom of the spears and lay them in a thin layer in a glass baking dish.
When the water comes to a boil, pour over the spears and let them sit for 3-5 minutes. Pull out a spear and test it after a couple minutes - it's easy to check for your preferred texture. When they are crisp-tender pour off the water and salt lightly.
Serve with melted butter or a vegetable dip. And if Julia Child herself gives permission to eat these with your fingers, who are we to argue?
(Image credit: David Eppstein)
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Asparagus spears are definitely finger food. And another great way to prepare them is to toss them with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and roast them. Recipes are all over the map on temperature and timing, but probably 15 to 20 minutes [depending on thickness] at about 375ºF.
view Terry B's profile
If you put them in the pan vertically, ends in the water, "heads" poking out above it, the ends will cook without the tops going mushy.
view tin_angel's profile
tin, how would you keep the asparagus vertical?
And asparagus are absolutely finger food--eating them with any utensil is a crime.
view Jim of ChewOnThat's profile
Terry B's right: grilling w/ a bit of olive oil and salt is delicious. However, I wouldn't suggest more than 3-5 minutes for the thin ones (which have always been our favorite).
view ebrown's profile
Jim - if you put them in a small enough pan, they just sort of prop each other up! Can't remember where I first read it, Elizabeth David maybe? It does work tho honest!
view tin_angel's profile