Asparagus always sneaks up on me. Every May we get an abunance of this nutritious vegetable for about three weeks, and serve it with several meals a week. Asparagus, when picked young and fresh, has a sweet flavor and delighful crunch when when enjoyed raw. Here are two of our favorite ways to serve!
Prep the asparagus:
Wash your fresh picked asparagus under cool water and shake off. Next I like to snap the bottom ends off by bending each spear about 2/3 of the way down the stalk. It will break where the woody part begins, leaving the tender part that cooks up beautifully for eating.
Pan Fried:
Heat some olive oild, butter, or bacon grease on medium-high on your stovestop until it sizzles when you flick a few drops of water on it. Next add the asparagus, broken into lenghs that fit your pan, and roll in the hot pan to coat completely with the cooking fat of your choice. From here I like to shake on some garlic salt, or even better, steak seasoning. Saute until lightly browned and tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve warm and enjoy!
Grilled:
Coat your clean asparagus with olive oil or melted butter, making sure to coat each spear completely.
Shake on the seaonsing of your choice – a little salt and pepper is all it takes, but garlic salt or steak seasoning is delicious as well.
Place your asparagus directely on the grill, placing them perpendicular so they don’t fall through (we do not wrap in foil for the best grilled flavor). Heat your grill to 350°- 400°F
Close the lid and check on them in about 3-4 minutes, turning them with tongs this point and closing the lid again for a few more minutes. They tend to be ready for us at the 8 minute mark, but adjust based on your grill and asparagus thickeness.
ENJOY! All of our children enjoy this spring treat, we think you will too.
