Miss Shirleys Asparagus Recipes

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.

MISS SHIRLEY'S ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler. Spread out the asparagus spears in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and shake the pan to evenly coat the spears. Season with salt and pepper.
• Broil until the spears are just tender, 4 minutes for thin and up to 10 minutes for thick asparagus.
• Add the lemon zest and toss to coat. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.

PERFECT ROASTED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus (if you sharply bend the asparagus near the base, it will snap in the right place). Discard the ends.
• Place the asparagus on the sheet and drizzle with 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil, just enough to lightly coat the asparagus. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the asparagus, and toss until the spears are lightly coated in oil. Arrange the spears in a single layer on the pan.
• Bake just until the base of the asparagus is easily pierced through by a fork. Very thin asparagus, like the kind shown here, will take as little as 9 to 12 minutes, whereas thicker asparagus will need 15 to 20 minutes.
• Transfer the roasted asparagus to a serving platter and season however you'd like. You could keep it simple with a squeeze of lemon juice, or a sprinkle of Parmesan, or add a pat of butter or drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
• Roasted asparagus is best served when it's fresh out of the oven, but it will keep at room temperature for up to 1 hour or up to 4 days in the refrigerator (gently reheat before serving).

ASPARAGUS CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in the upper third. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil; prepare an ice bath. Add asparagus and cook until just tender and bright green, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to ice bath; drain.
• Return pot to medium heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes; remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate. Discard rendered fat or reserve for another use. Add butter to same pot and heat over medium until foamy. Add onion, nutmeg, cayenne and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in flour and cook, stirring occasionally, until toasted and fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in mustard, then gradually whisk in milk and bring to a boil, whisking often. Reduce to a simmer and cook until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. (You should have about 2 cups bechamel.) If not using right away, press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the sauce to keep a film from forming.
• Spread 1 cup bechamel evenly across the bottom of a 9-inch-square baking dish. Reserving 1 cup for topping, sprinkle remaining asparagus over bechamel. Arrange reserved bacon in an even layer on top, followed by the sliced eggs, cracker crumbs and remaining bechamel. Sprinkle the reserved 1 cup asparagus down the center of the casserole, then sprinkle the cheese evenly on top and season with black pepper. Bake until sauce is bubbling, about 25 minutes. Turn oven to broil setting and continue to cook until golden-brown on top, 3 to 4 minutes more. Let cool 15 minutes on a wire rack before serving.

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.