cooking asparagus isn’t a very big task. you just need to be in your senses.
throw in a bit of garlic, and maybe onion, some thyme.. cook with butter.. butter.. butter asparagus goes so well with butter.. mmmhhh! i’m already wet.. my mouth.
green asparagus can be directly roasted or grilled. if you wanna blanch it first, fine go ahead. but remember.. blanching takes away a lot of taste of the food. it all drains into the water. if i were to blanch, i would first prepare an extremely flavourful stock,, something that i want to blend into the food i am cooking; and use only a very small quantity of this stock for blanching. this stock should later be reduced, blended in with butter or oil and poured over the food or used into the recipe somewhere.
no flavor should be lost at anypoint.
pay attention here, ladies – asparagus doesn’t need too much cooking, it will discolour. if you are blanching, keep nothing more than 10-15 seconds depending on the thickness. keep a check on its doneness. some like the asparagus tender. some like to have a bite in there. so suit yourself.
white asparagus is more fibrous. thick skin. this one needs to be peeled well and then blanched.
okay lets get some hands on this.
500 gr white asparagus, mmmhhhhhh
100 gr butter
some salt
1 ltr water
add salt to water, bring it to a boil
add butter
when the water is bubbling,
throw in the asparagus
the water will stop bubbling
coz asparagus
took away the heat.
as soon as water starts bubbling again,
simmer the flame.
let it cook for 10 min.
pick a small bite
and check if its tender
and ready to be eaten.
if yes, take out the asparagus
and we prepare for plating.
if you have some more
asparagus to be cooked,
add more water to the ol' stock,
check salt and get back
to the first step.
final step.. reduce the stock,
till its only 2 tablespoons left,
throw in your herbs - thyme or whatever
throw in a full tea spoon
of cold butter
and vigorously start shaking the pot
to blend the butter into the sauce.
don't stop till
the butter is completely dissolved.
the stock is now thick
because of the chilled butter
you added in the end.
this is your sauce.
**you can play this with anything
and make a sauce out of it. just
remember the butter
needs to be chilled and your stock hot.
butter should be added
piece by piece, not all together**
throw your cooked asparagus
into this sauce, coat it.
pick up with tongs and plate.
spoon the sauce over asparagus
eat now.