Juicy, fat asparagus spears appear in late winter and early spring as a local seasonal delicacy, or year-round shipped from around the globe. As in most produce, local is freshest and the tastiest. Farmer's markets bring products direct from the farm and sometimes feature purple or white asparagus. White asparagus owes its pallor to the method in which farmers grow it. You pile up earth around the emerging spears to keep them sheltered from the sun. Absent light, the spears stay white or pale green. You can cook asparagus in any kind of container, but asparagus pots channel steam upwards, yielding especially moist and perfectly cooked spears.
Step 1
Rinse the asparagus spears in cold water. Shake off the spears lightly, then cut off and woody ends. Peel the skin off the stems of mature or tough spears with a vegetable peeler.
Step 2
Fill the asparagus pot with water until it is half full. Place the asparagus spears standing upright, tips pointing up, into the steamer basket.
Step 3
Bring the water in the pot to a boil, and then lower the basket containing the asparagus into it. Cook the asparagus spears between four and eight minutes or until they are crisp-tender and still bright green.
Step 4
Immediately remove the basket from the boiling water. Serve while the spears are still hot with a squeeze of lemon and a pad of butter or drizzle of olive oil on top.
Tips and Warnings
- Plunge the cooked spears into an ice bath to stop the cooking if you plan to use them later in a cold salad. Asparagus contains a chemical called mercaptan that changes how you perceive other flavors. The phenomenon makes pairing asparagus with wine especially challenging. An herbaceous sauvignon blanc with good acidity might work well with asparagus.
Things You'll Need
- Asparagus spears
- Water
- Knife
- Vegetable peeler
- Asparagus pot
- Lemon
- Butter
- Olive Oil
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