When thinking about cooking asparagus, preparation is the key whether it will be cooked by boiling, steaming, grilling or roasting. Asparagus can also be cooked in the microwave, cut into sections to be used in stir fry and can be blanched to use with vegetable dips. The fresher the asparagus the better it will taste and when bought in the store in can be maintained for two or three days, if stored properly.
Trimming asparagus is best done by hand by simply bending the stalk until it breaks. If it bends but will not snap it is probably old and may not have a fresh flavor. When preparing for cooking asparagus some cooks will peel the outer layer. While this not necessary, it can help with the tenderness of the stalks. While it is the fibers inside the outer layer that need softened when cooking asparagus, it is good to peel only a couple of spots on the outside. This will allow enough steam to the inside to cook thoroughly.
To peel prior to cooking asparagus, lay the stalk flat on the counter or cutting board and using a vegetable peeler start at the top and peel toward the end. It can be peeled completely but to save time, removing one portion of the peel from each side will suffice.
Stalks Should Face Same Direction While Cooking Asparagus
One the stalks have been peeled and trimmer to the desired size, they can be placed in a saucepan with about one inch of water in the bottom. The asparagus can be trimmed at the bottom to fit into the saucepan so they stand vertical. Tie them together with kitchen string to help the bundle stand upright and to evenly steam the entire bundle. It may be wise to use two strings when cooking asparagus, one at the top and one near the bottom to keep them secured. Depending on thickness, five to 10 minutes should be enough.
When cooking asparagus by boiling, use just enough water to cover the asparagus, having all the stems pointing in the same direction, keeping them covered with water. It will take four to six minutes to cook completely. To grill, place a cooking screen over the fire or skewers can be used to keep the spears from falling through the grate. It only takes about 30 seconds to 60 minutes, depending on the thickness when cooking asparagus over the grill.
For cooking asparagus by roasting, they can be laid flat on a baking sheet and put in the oven at 425 degrees for two to three minutes. This provides a still tender stalk with a special roasted taste. Use salt or other seasonings to taste.
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