Cooking Asparagus
Asparagus comes in three colors: green, purple, and white. The green and purple varieties taste very much the same and the purple, when cooked, turns dark green. White asparagus, which doesn’t turn green because it is grown protected from the sun, is much more rare and expensive, and it has a milder flavor. Asparagus is best when the tips (the blossom ends) are tightly closed, and its flavor is sweetest when freshly harvested. Look for smooth-skinned, brightly colored spears with fresh (not dried-out looking) cut ends and compact tips. To prepare asparagus, grasp each spear and bend it until it snaps. The spear will break at the natural point where it becomes tender. I prefer fat asparagus stalks to thin ones because once they are peeled they are sweeter and less grassy-tasting than the skinny ones. The trick is to use a peeler that removes paper-thin layers of skin, exposing pale green flesh, not white. This is unnecessary if the spears are quite thin, or if they are going to be cut into small pieces. Start about 1 inch below the blossom tip and peel down along the spear towards the cut end.
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
To boil asparagus, snap the ends off and peel. Cook the asparagus uncovered in a large pot of salted boiling water until just tender, about 3 1/2 minutes (less for skinnier ones). Drain and serve hot or at room temperature (to cool, spread them out on a towel).
Step 2
To steam asparagus, put peeled asparagus in a steamer over boiling water for about 3 minutes or until just tender.
Step 3
For grilled asparagus, brush cooked boiled asparagus lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over a bed of medium-hot coals, turning often, until warmed through and a little browned from the grill.
Step 4
To roast asparagus, place uncooked peeled spears in one layer on a baking pan with sides. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roll the spears back and forth to coat them with oil and salt. Roast in a 400°F oven until tender, about 9 to 11 minutes. Turn the spears once, halfway through the cooking.
Step 5
Serve asparagus warm or at room temperature with herb mayonnaise (see page 47), Vinaigrette (page 44), Salsa Verde (page 45), or Beurre Blanc (page 228); or drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with chopped hard-cooked egg and crisped pancetta or shavings of Parmesan cheese. Asparagus is delicious in risotto (see page 290), and combined with other vegetables (see page 316).
