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Step 1
Wash spears in cool water to clean any residual soil or sand from the tips.
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Step 2
Bend the spears and they will snap at the natural breaking point, to remove the woody bottoms. Cook one of the following ways:
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Step 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.
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Step 4
Steam asparagus spears or pieces for 3 minutes, then rinse under cool water.
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Step 5
Roast asparagus in a 500 degree F oven for 3 to 5 minutes, or until tender. Roasting is usually best for thicker spears.
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Step 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.
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Step 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
TheAgent said
on 11/20/2008 Great instructional video. We are eating asparagus tonight! Thank you
TrinnLey said
on 3/20/2008 When I was quite young my mother taught me how to cook asparagus; cut the ends off bluntly and cook till soft and mushy... not very tasty and you just couldn't cook it enough to soften up the woody ends. When I got a little older, early teen years I believe, I learned a new way from my aunt; snap the ends off to eliminate the woody part and cook just enough to get a very tasty and beautiful green colored delight. I much prefer my aunt's method of preparation. I sprinkle mine with lemon herb seasoning, a little butter and microwave steam for about 3 minutes. I'm glad to see others snap their asparagus too.
CCrock said
on 3/20/2008 Great advice! I have shied away from cooking asparagus because I wasn't really sure how to prepare it. Thank you!
writetruth said
on 3/19/2008 I use my grilling skillet, drizzle a bit of extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle asparagus with a bit of salt, pepper and garlic. I really don't care for ginger or sesame oil on them. Grilling in a skillet is REALLY easy and nummy. : )
writetruth said
on 3/19/2008 I use my grilling skillet, drizzle a bit of extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle asparagus with a bit of salt, pepper and garlic. I really don't care for ginger or sesame oil on them. Grilling in a skillet is REALLY easy and nummy. : )