Basic Boiled Asparagus Recipes

BROILED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Snap off the ends of 2 bunches thin asparagus; discard. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Broil until slightly charred, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a platter and drizzle with red wine vinegar and olive oil. Top with shaved asiago.

HOW TO COOK ASPARAGUS ON THE STOVE

Steps:

• Prep the asparagus: Snap or cut off any woody bottoms of the asparagus spears. If working with medium sized or large asparagus, if you want (for a fancy presentation) you can use a vegetable peeler to peel the outside of the lower inch or two of the asparagus.
• Heat water in a large skillet: Fill a large, wide skillet with about 3/4-inch of water. Add salt. Add the cut garlic and lemon peel if using. Bring the water to a boil on high heat.
• Boil the asparagus: Add the asparagus in an even layer. If the water doesn't cover the asparagus, cover the pan. If using thin asparagus, cook only for 1 to 2 minutes. Medium asparagus, 5 minutes. Large asparagus 6 to 7 minutes.
• Rinse with cool water: Rinse briefly with cold water to stop the cooking and then transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil or butter to serve.

BOILED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Bring 1 inch salted water to a boil in a large skillet. Add asparagus in one layer. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes for medium and 7 minutes for jumbo. Drain, and transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and top with a pat of butter.

LEMON-PARMESAN BROILED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Preheat broiler. In large bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. Add asparagus; toss to coat. Place in a single layer on a wire rack over a foil-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pan., Broil 5-6 inches from heat until tender and lightly browned, 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. If desired, serve with lemon wedges.

COLD ASPARAGUS WITH TRUFFLE MAYONNAISE

Steps:

• Toss the cold asparagus with the extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir truffle oil into the mayonnaise. Plate the asparagus. Spoon mayonnaise to one side of asparagus.
• Bring about 6 quarts of water to a rapid boil in a covered pot large enough to hold the asparagus. Cut the bottom section- usually about 1 to 2 inches off the asparagus stalks with a sharp knife. Peel the asparagus by laying them flat, one at a time, on a cutting board. If the asparagus are thinner than 1/2-inch, use a vegetable peeler and peel the asparagus starting at the base of the tip and peeling them all the way down to the base, eliminating the fibrous peel and revealing the pale green flesh. If the asparagus are very thick or woody, use a paring knife and start peeling from the base. When ready to cook, toss the salt into the boiling water and carefully lower in the asparagus. Turn the heat to low and simmer the asparagus, uncovered, until the spears are easily penetrated with a knife, usually after about 5 minutes but from 1 minute for very thin asparagus to 12 minutes for the very thickest. If serving cold asparagus, plunge the hot cooked asparagus into ice water or rinse under cold water in a colander. Pat dry.

GARLIC PARMESAN ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, bring 1/2 in. water to a boil. Add asparagus and garlic; cook, covered, until asparagus is crisp-tender, 3-5 minutes; drain. Toss asparagus with butter and cheese.

BLANCHED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Prepare 1 1/2 pounds medium-thick asparagus (see Rinse and Snap). Have a large bowl of ice water ready. In a large saucepan, bring 8 cups water to a boil. Season with 2 tablespoons coarse salt, and add asparagus; boil until tender, 3 to 4 minutes (depending on thickness).
• Remove with tongs, or drain in a colander, and immediately transfer to ice water for 1 minute to stop the cooking process. Drain; refrigerate until completely chilled.

BUTTER-BRAISED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Snap off and discard the tough bottoms of the asparagus spears. If using large, thick asparagus, peel the lower ends with a vegetable peeler.
• Put butter in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add asparagus in one layer and season with salt and pepper. Add 1/2 cup water, cover, and bring to a simmer. Cook until the asparagus is firm-tender, about 3 minutes. Take care not to overcook them; they should still be bright green. (They will continue to cook a bit once the heat is off.) Remove the asparagus from the pan and place on a serving platter.
• Turn heat to high and simmer briskly until most of the liquid has evaporated, a minute or so. Add lemon juice and zest to the buttery juices. Turn off heat and stir in chives, parsley, tarragon and dill, if using. Check seasoning. Spoon the sauce over the asparagus, garnish with a few herb leaves, and serve.

EASY ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Mix in onion and garlic, and season with salt, pepper, and lemon pepper. Cook and stir until tender. Place asparagus in the skillet, and cook 8 minutes, turning occasionally to coat with seasonings. Sprinkle wine into the skillet, and scrape up any browned bits.
• Transfer asparagus to a shallow dish. Drizzle with remaining mixture in skillet, and dust evenly with Parmesan cheese and crushed whole wheat crackers.