Video: How to Cook Asparagus

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Asparagus is a very healthy vegetable that contains few calories and has no fat or cholesterol. Tender asparagus is usually boiled or steamed, but it can also be roasted or grilled for almost any asparagus recipe. Try eating them with hollandaise sauce after you prepare them they way you want.

Difficulty:: Easy

Instructions

- 1
  
  Wash spears in cool water to clean any residual soil or sand from the tips.
- 2
  
  Bend the spears and they will snap at the natural breaking point, to remove the woody bottoms. Cook one of the following ways:
- 3
  
  Boil asparagus in 1 inch of salted water in a wide skillet for 3 to 5 minutes. Immediately rinse them under cool water to stop the cooking and preserve the bright green color.
- 4
  
  Steam asparagus spears or pieces for 3 minutes, then rinse under cool water.
- 5
  
  Roast asparagus in a 500 degree F oven for 3 to 5 minutes, or until tender. Roasting is usually best for thicker spears.
- 6
  
  Stir-fry 2-inch lengths of asparagus with black bean sauce for a change of pace. Or stir-fry with garlic and ginger and toss with a little dark sesame oil.
- 7
  
  Grill asparagus by skewering four or five spears together, making a raft that prevents individual spears from slipping between the grill bars. Buy the thickest spears you can find and secure them with bamboo skewers about 2 inches from the top and 1 inch from the bottom. Break the skewers off where they exit the raft. Brush the raft with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and grill over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

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Comments

Shane Jun 25, 2011
thank you for the help my date turned out perfect.
esfaelos Jun 04, 2011
You show "7" steps, when you mean seven different methods.
gary.seneviratne May 11, 2011
test
Stormy Apr 26, 2011
bahahaha!
Sharon Apr 23, 2011
thanks -- very helpful. Love to serve on Easter!