Asparagus
How to prepare asparagus for cooking: Before you try any of the methods for cooking asparagus, you’ll want to trim the asparagus stalks. Trimming asparagus is a “snap.” To remove &: discard the tough woody ends of the stalks before cooking, you can just cut them off with a knife or snap the stalks in two. They naturally snap at about the point where the woody part begins. Once you’ve snapped your asparagus, you can line them up &: give the bottom ends one last neat trim.
How to peel asparagus: Some people like to peel asparagus before cooking, &: some don’t. Asparagus spears range in size from thicker than your thumb to thinner than a pencil; if your asparagus is on the thicker side, you might want to peel the woody stalks with a vegetable peeler. Some cooks also like to trim off the tiny leaves on the stems. But unless they’re very spiky, you can leave them on.
How long to cook asparagus: One of the most frequently asked questions is how long to cook asparagus. The answer depends on the size of your spears &: your cooking method. Thin (“pencil”) asparagus could take just a couple of minutes, especially if you’re using a high-heat method of cooking, such as grilling, roasting, or pan-frying. Thicker spears will take longer to cook. Here’s how to avoid overcooking your asparagus.
Allow plenty of extra spears for testing as you cook: No matter which cooking method you choose; the residual heat will continue cooking the asparagus. Remove it from the stove/grill/oven when it’s almost done to your taste.
If you’re blanching &: reheating asparagus, remove it from the boiling water when it’s still a bit more crisp than you like. The reheating will finish cooking the spears. s
Braised Asparagus
Ingredients:
2 tbsp vegetable oil
500gms asparagus, trimmed & peeled
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
3 tbsp unsalted butter
Method:
Heat oil in a 12-inch straight-sided sauté pan over high heat until lightly smoking. Add asparagus in as close to a single layer as possible, season with salt & pepper, & cook without moving until lightly browned, about 1 ½ minutes. Shake pan & cook until browned again, 1 ½ minutes longer. Add stock & butter to pan & immediately cover.
Continue to cook until asparagus is completely tender & stock & butter have emulsified & reduced to a shiny glaze, 7 to 10 minutes. If stock completely evaporates & butter starts to burn before asparagus is cooked through, top up with a few tablespoons of water. Serve immediately.
Smoked salmon & asparagus with hollandaise sauce
Ingredients:
Method:
Asparagus with Sliced Toasted Almonds & Parmesan
Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter
450gms asparagus, bottoms trimmed
⅓ cup sliced almonds
⅓ cup Parmesan cheese
Method:
Dry roast the sliced almonds over a medium heat until fragrant & the almonds begin to take on a golden hue.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus, &: cook, stirring, about 3 minutes. Stir in almonds &: parmesan, &: cook until the cheese is slightly browned.
Asparagus with Panko & Fresh Mozzarella
Ingredients:
500gms trimmed asparagus
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
¼ cup panko bread crumbs
½ tsp chilli flakes
200gms ball fresh mozzarella, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
Method:
Set oven rack about 6 inches from heat source &: preheat broiler.
Arrange asparagus in a single layer in a baking dish. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with salt &: black pepper. Broil until just tender, 6 to 8 minutes, depending on thickness.
Meanwhile, stir together panko bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, & the chilli flakes in a small bowl. Arrange mozzarella slices over asparagus, overlapping as needed. Sprinkle panko mixture over cheese & grill until cheese is melted & panko crumbs take on a golden brown colour.
Asparagus Sauce Fleurette
Ingredients:
2 egg yolks
125gms unsalted butter, chilled
100mls creme Fleurette
The juice of half a lemon
1 pinch of salt &: pepper
1 pinch of cayenne pepper
Method:
Heat a large saucepan of water to accommodate all the asparagus you intend to cook. Add a generous amount of salt to the water, & bring to a boil.
To prepare the asparagus, use a vegetable peeler to remove the thick skin from each asparagus. Bundle the asparagus together using butcher’s twine, then immerse in the boiling water.
Allow the asparagus to cook for up to 20 minutes.
While the asparagus is cooking, create the Sauce Fleurette.
Use a double boiler or an improvised version &: pour all of the cream into the bowl, followed by the egg yolks. Gently whisk for 1 minute until the mixture begins to foam.
Once the mixture is foamy, add the cold butter &: continue to stir vigorously for 2 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken.
As the sauce thickens, ensure that the water beneath your bowl remains close to boiling (as a higher temperature helps with further thickening). Continue stirring the sauce until it achieves a consistency similar to mayonnaise.
When done, remove your pan from the heat &: incorporate the salt, pepper, lemon juice, &: cayenne pepper. Stir for an additional minute, &: your sauce is now ready.
By this point, the asparagus should be close to fully cooked. Once they are, remove them from the water &: immediately submerge them in an icy (or very cold water) bath. This step halts the cooking process &: preserves their vibrant color.
Now drain the asparagus &: place them on a plate or dish lined with either paper towels or a clean white tea towel.
Serve the asparagus with the warm Sauce Fleurette drizzled over it.