Asparagus

One of my favorite spring time vegetables is fresh asparagus. These days, you can usually find asparagus year-round, but during the springtime it always seems the freshest and adds such nice color and flavor to a variety of seasonal dishes. In celebration of this great vegetable, here are some great tips for buying, storing, prepping and cooking fresh asparagus.

Buying: Choose firm spears with tightly closed tips and avoid the spears with dried out stems. You can usually plan on 1-1/2 lbs. for every 4 servings.

Storing: The proper way to store asparagus is to stand the spears, tips up, in a container with 1-2 inches of water. Cover the asparagus with a plastic bag and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Preparing: Rinse the asparagus thoroughly under cold water. Snap the ends off (the stalks will break naturally at the point where they begin to get tough). To add a pretty touch to the asparagus (and remove any possible tough, stringy skin), peel the bottom part of the stalk with a vegetable peeler. When the asparagus is blanched this peeled bottom part will turn a beautiful, bright green.

Cooking Methods: When pairing asparagus with sauces or cooking to use in a recipe, like pasta or a sauté, it is almost always best to blanch. The added benefit of blanching is that it brings out the beautiful green of the asparagus and it can be done far in advance of serving time — making the final preparations much easier and quicker.

Blanch: Bring a wide pan of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook until just tender. Drain and immediately submerge in a bowl of ice water. Let sit for 1 minute, then drain and pat dry. When ready to serve sauté the asparagus, for about a minute, in a dab of butter. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Roast: On a jelly roll baking sheet, toss the asparagus with a little extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast, stirring occasionally, at 450°F for 10-15 minutes or until tender and lightly browned.

Grill: In a large bowl, toss the asparagus with a little olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Spread the asparagus over a fine mesh rack over a hot flame. Cover and grill, turning occasionally, until tender and lightly charred, about 10-15 minutes.

Microwave: Lay the asparagus in a large microwave-safe dish. Add about 1/4 cup water; cover loosely with plastic wrap. Microwave on high power for 4-6 minutes or until just tender.

– Glutenfreeda