Crunch Crazy Asparagus Spears Recipes

ASPARAGUS SPEARS WITH SESAME

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, white wine vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar. Set aside.
• Prepare an ice bath: Fill a large bowl halfway with ice cubes and add some cold water. Place a colander squarely inside the ice bath. The colander will keep you from having to pick the asparagus out from amongst the ice cubes in the ice bath.
• Add salt until the boiling water tastes like seawater. Add the asparagus to the boiling water and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes - you want them to be crunchy. If the asparagus are thin, cook for only 1 minute. Remove the asparagus from the water with a strainer and transfer them to the colander inside the ice bath. Allow them to cool completely for a few minutes and then place them on a kitchen towel to drain any excess moisture.
• Toss the asparagus, sesame seeds, and the sauce together and refrigerate for 1 hour, or until ready to serve.

GRILLED ASPARAGUS SPEARS

Steps:

• Preheat a grill.
• Place asparagus on a plate. Drizzle oil over the asparagus and turn spears until they are coated. Sprinkle with salt and turn again.
• Grill asparagus for 5 minutes over a hot grill. Each minute or so, roll each spear 1/4 turn. Asparagus should begin to brown in spots (indicating that the natural sugars are caramelizing) but should it not be allowed to char. Dripping oil may cause flare-ups. Keep a glass, or spray bottle of water handy to spritz on coals, if necessary.
• Remove from grill and serve immediately (eating spears with your fingers enhances the experience).

SAUTéED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Trim the woody ends from the base of the asparagus spears by cutting off the bottom 2 inches or by snapping it off with your hands.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the asparagus in a single layer and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly golden and almost tender, 8 to 10 minutes. (Cut a small piece from the end of one asparagus to see if it's near tender.)
• Reduce the heat to low. Add the butter, garlic, salt and pepper and stir to coat the asparagus. Cook until the garlic is softened and fragrant, 1 to 2 more minutes. Immediately transfer to a serving plate.
• Just before serving, squeeze the juice from the lemon half over the asparagus and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

CHICKEN PINWHEELS TOPPED WITH MANGO SALSA AND SERVED WITH SAUTEED ASPARAGUS SPEARS AND BACON CRUMBLES

Steps:

• In a large pan, saute red peppers, green peppers, garlic, thyme, and rosemary until the vegetables begin to soften. Remove from the heat and allow to cool while you prepare the chicken. Pound the chicken breasts in between 2 pieces of plastic wrap until they are flattened. Place the sauteed vegetables in the center and roll the breast around them. Secure closed with a toothpick, if necessary.
• Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan and heat. Add the stuffed chicken and cook until all sides are browned and the chicken is cooked through.
• Combine the mango, garlic, and the red onion and place in a medium-sized bowl. Add salt, lime juice, and corn syrup to the bowl and thoroughly combine. Serve the salsa over the sauteed chicken.
• In a medium saute pan, cook the bacon until it is crisp. Drain and crumble the pieces into a bowl. In a separate pan, saute asparagus with garlic until the asparagus is tender. Add crumbled bacon on top of the spears.

SURF AND TURF SAVINGS: BEEF TENDERLOIN STEAKS WITH MANHATTAN SAUCE, SEARED SCALLOPS AND LEMONY ASPARAGUS SPEARS

Steps:

• Place a medium skillet with about 1/4-inch of water over high heat and bring to a simmer for cooking the asparagus spears.
• While the asparagus water is heating up start the beef tenderloin steaks. Heat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Season the steaks with some salt and pepper. Coat pan with a little extra-virgin olive oil and add the steaks. Meat will sear in hot pan. Cook beef 4 minutes on each side for medium.
• Once the beef is going, start the scallops; preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium- high heat with 2 turns of the pan of extra-virgin olive oil, about 2 tablespoons. With paper towels pat the scallops dry, season with a little salt and pepper and then add to the hot skillet. Sear the scallops in a single layer, causing them to caramelize, 2 minutes on each side.
• Once the steaks and scallops are going, add the asparagus tips to the boiling water for 3 minutes, or until just tender.
• Remove the beef fillets from the skillet to a serving platter. Return the skillet to the heat and add 1 turn of the pan of extra-virgin olive oil, about 1 tablespoon. Add the chopped shallots and cook a little bit. Add the vermouth, use a spoon to scrape up the bits on the bottom of the pan, add the beef broth turn the heat up to high and bring to a simmer. Add 2 tablespoons of cold butter and stir until the butter has melted; pour the sauce over the fillets of beef.
• Sprinkle the scallops with the chopped chives and remove from the skillet and arrange 2 scallops on top of each sauced up steak.
• Drain the asparagus tips; return them to the skillet and season with salt, pepper and a little squeeze of lemon juice, toss to coat. Plate the asparagus spears alongside the Manhattan sauced steaks and seared scallops.

SPEAR ECSTASY

Steps:

• To Make Dipping Sauce: Mix the sour cream, mayonnaise, onion, lemon juice, capers, lemon zest, tarragon, onion powder, sugar and pepper together using a whisk. Mix well. Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.
• Cook the asparagus in a steamer basket over boiling water until tender when pierced with a fork, 6 to 8 minutes. Mix the ice, water, and kosher salt together in a large bowl. Remove the asparagus from the steamer and refresh it by plunging it into the ice water. Let sit until cold. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to dry. Refrigerate. Serve chilled with the dipping sauce.

PAN-SEARED ASPARAGUS WITH CRISPY GARLIC

Steps:

• Place a paper towel-lined plate next to the stove. In a medium or large skillet, combine the garlic and olive oil over medium-low heat. Cook, shaking the skillet often, until the garlic is very light golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, tilt it, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the garlic to the towel-lined plate, leaving the remaining oil in the skillet. Season the crispy garlic with salt.
• Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add the asparagus, season with salt and pepper, and cook, shaking often, until bright green, crisp-tender and browned in spots, 4 to 5 minutes. Slide onto a platter, including any oil in the skillet. Top with the garlic chips and season again with salt and pepper.