There are many ways to eat asparagus. You can serve it hot, cold, raw, or cooked. You can serve it as a main course, or as a side dish. Great mixed into soups, salads, casseroles, and stir-fries, but you can serve them whole! Read on and learn how to select, store and serve this versatile vegetable.
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Method 1 of 3: Selecting and Storing Asparagus
Step 1. Purchase asparagus at the grocery store or farmer's market
Fresh asparagus is a luxury vegetable, and the prices tend to represent that. You can buy asparagus fresh, frozen, or canned. If you buy fresh asparagus, look for one with a bright green or bluish-purple stem. Asparagus stalks should be straight, firm, and uniformly sized, with closed (non-flowering) ends. Ideally, buy asparagus fresh the same day you cook it.
- Asparagus stalks range from thick to thin. Some people prefer one over the other, but generally size doesn't say quality or taste. Thick stems are more mature, while thin stems are less ripe. Thick stems are often tougher, woody at the ends, and most people trim these ends before cooking.
- Asparagus rots quickly, so it's important to choose bundles that are refrigerated or iced. Don't buy asparagus that hasn't been refrigerated, as it will rot even faster.
Step 2. Know when to buy fresh asparagus
Asparagus is one of the first green vegetables to appear in late winter. Fresh American asparagus often hits stores in late February, but it's at its best - and usually the cheapest - in April and May. Frozen or canned asparagus can be eaten all year round, but many find fresh asparagus tastier.
Step 3. Store the Asparagus in the refrigerator or over ice
Use asparagus within two or three days of purchase, and preferably as soon as possible. If you want to store it for a day or two, the best way to preserve asparagus stalks is to store them upright in a bowl (or even a small vase) filled with cold water. You can wrap the ends of the stems in wet tissue paper and place them in the refrigerator. You can refrigerate asparagus in a plastic bag for up to three days.
Step 4. Consider boiling the asparagus before you freeze it
Boiling is an important step in preparing vegetables before freezing. Heating vegetables stops the enzymes that make vegetables rot. It can also help retain flavor, crunch, and color. Boiling before freezing can also clean the surface of vegetables, slow down the loss of vitamins, make vegetables softer and easier to pack.
Step 5. Try raising your own asparagus
You can start growing from seed, or crown asparagus for faster yields. Mature asparagus plants produce stems each spring for 12 to 25 years.
Method 2 of 3: Main Ways of Cooking Asparagus
Step 1. Steam your Asparagus
Cut off the lower end of the asparagus if the stem is thick. Wash the asparagus. Fill a large pot with a few centimeters of water and place the vegetable steamer in the pot. Water should not seep through the steamer holes, if it seeps, remove a little water from the pot. Place the asparagus in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Steam until soft or until it reaches the texture you want.
- Try serving steamed, grilled, or grilled asparagus as an appetizer for dinner. Usually served with fresh melted butter or freshly made Hollandaise sauce. Eat with a fork or fingers.
- Asparagus becomes soft and moist when you steam it, and it tastes bland. Add salt and other seasonings for added taste. Keep in mind that while asparagus is very healthy, adding too much salt and other seasonings can affect your health.
Step 2. Roast the asparagus on an outdoor grill
Cut off the lower end of the asparagus if it is thick-stemmed. Wash the asparagus. Form the aluminum sheet into a "boat" for the asparagus. The sides should be high enough to prevent the oil and asparagus from spilling out. Pour 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil into the aluminum sheet "boat", and lay the asparagus on top. Place the "boat" on an outdoor grill over medium heat until the asparagus sticks reach the texture you want.
- The asparagus will get tougher the more you roast it, but the moisture will retain. Best of all, the nutrients in cooked asparagus aren't lost at all!
- This is one of the simplest and tastiest ways to eat asparagus if you don't want to cook with a more complicated recipe.
Step 3. Roast the asparagus in a skillet
Clean the asparagus stalks then drip and sprinkle a little olive oil and seasonings. Place the asparagus sticks and seasonings in a bowl to mix. Then place the asparagus on a hot skillet, ideal if jagged, but even a flat pan is fine. Let sit over medium heat until one side is blackened (1-2 minutes). Roll up and bake the other side. Serve warm.
Step 4. Bake the asparagus in the oven
Asparagus gives off a rich flavor when roasted, making it one of the most popular ways to eat the vegetable. Wash and clean the asparagus stalks, peel the tough bark thinly, then pat dry. Place on a baking sheet, then spray or drip olive oil, rolling each stick to coat evenly. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper, then bake at 220°C for 10 to 15 minutes.
- You can cook grilled asparagus into a risotto or a thick pasta dish. You can also serve grilled asparagus as a side dish to meat, fish and pasta.
- Consider adding a few cloves of fresh garlic and a pinch of freshly grated lemon zest. Try grilling asparagus with butter, salt, and parmesan or mozzarella cheese.
- Try cutting up grilled asparagus and sprinkling it over the oven-roasted macaroni. If you wish, you can also cut the bacon into small pieces and sprinkle with the asparagus.
Step 5. Saute the asparagus
Cut the asparagus into five-inch pieces along with the eggplant and butternut squash. Place the vegetables in a saucepan on the stove and cook over medium-low heat. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add tomato sauce. Let the mixture simmer for 5-10 minutes until the vegetables are thoroughly cooked into the sauce.
Stir-fried asparagus tastes great with pasta
Method 3 of 3: Alternative Ways of Serving Asparagus
Step 1. Boil the asparagus
Boil the asparagus in a pot of water for 3-5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the stems. When the asparagus stalks are bright green and soft, place them in the "ice pool," a large bowl 2/3 of the way filled with cold water and ice cubes. The ice water will shock the asparagus so that the cooking process stops. Soak the asparagus for the same amount of time it boils. Drain the asparagus stalks using a sieve or paper towels.
- Serve boiled asparagus in a salad, or eat it with sauces and condiments. For a simple and delicious dish, add a pinch of coarse salt and a drizzle of olive oil before you serve the asparagus.
- Boiling is a great way to prepare asparagus storage if you plan to eat it later. If you pre-boiled the asparagus, or you plan to take it to a picnic or crowdfunding, wrap the asparagus stalks in tissue paper and a plastic bag and refrigerate them.
Step 2. Saute your asparagus
Stir-fries tend to use a variety of vegetables, and often asparagus is also included. Add asparagus to each stir-fry as long as it matches the rest of the ingredients.
If your child is a picky eater, stir-fry can be a great way to get them to eat asparagus. You can easily add shredded chicken and small pieces of vegetables, so your child doesn't even notice the asparagus is present
Step 3. Cook the asparagus with the meat
Wrap the asparagus in the bacon and put it in the pot. Use more oil than you use for frying. Fry for 10 minutes and serve on a plate. Be careful not to overcook or uncooked the meat. Be prepared to clean the dishes thoroughly, as it will make them messy and greasy.
Step 4. Make the asparagus soup
Asparagus chowder is an elegant appetizer or lunch, and you can have it ready in 50 minutes. The soup is warm enough as a main course, but can also be served as a side dish. To serve four:
- Cut the ends of 12 asparagus stalks, 3.8 cm from the top, and split the ends lengthwise if thick. Save the ends of the asparagus sticks for soup garnish.
- Cut the stems and any remaining asparagus into small, 1.2 cm pieces
- Sauté one large chopped onion with 2 tbsp butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium to low heat. Cook and stir until onions are soft. Add asparagus pieces, salt and pepper to taste. Sauté the asparagus and onions, stirring for 5 minutes. Add 5 cups of stock and simmer, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes or until the asparagus is very soft.
- While the soup is simmering, cook the asparagus ends in the boiling salted water for 3 to 4 minutes until tender, then drain.
- Puree the asparagus soup in a blender until smooth. Transfer the mashed soup to a bowl, then return it to the pot. Stir in the creme fraiche, then add the stock to the watery soup until it reaches the consistency you want. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil and add a few more spoons of butter.
- Add 1/4 tsp of fresh lemon juice, and garnish the soup with the asparagus tip. Serve cream of asparagus soup with warm crusty bread for dipping.
Step 5. Dice the asparagus into the egg mixture
Dice the remaining asparagus and mix into the scrambled eggs. If you have a cast-iron skillet, try making a grilled asparagus frittata. If you have a pie crust, try making the Gruyere quiche asparagus and scallions. Try making an asparagus quiche pie crust, or an asparagus and zucchini torta.
Step 6. Eat raw asparagus
It may not sound delicious, but eating raw asparagus is an easy and quick way to get its nutrients. You can eat it as a snack or include it in a salad. To serve with a salad, chop the asparagus and serve it raw with lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, and whatever else you like. Try serving it with a light vinaigrette
Step 7. Add asparagus to the juice
Just add a stick or two of asparagus to the fruit juice. You can mix raw asparagus into the juice, or you can dip it so that the asparagus sticks pop out of the cup.
Tips
- Trim the woody ends of the stems - you can use a knife or peeler to cut off 2.5 cm of the stem ends if they are tough.
- Adding too much seasoning or salt to your food will have a huge impact on your health. Think about what you add.
- If possible, buy from local farmers. That way, you get fresher asparagus and you don't take part in the food system that sends asparagus across the globe.
- Don't use too much butter on the asparagus sticks. If you overdo it, the butter will drip from the sticks onto your table or clothes.
- Try eating asparagus when it's in season. Often times, asparagus is fresher if eaten in the right season, the chances of asparagus coming from other parts of the world are slim, and the freshness of the season will be preserved. This applies to a wide variety of products, not just asparagus.
Warning
- Asparagus will cause your urine to have a distinctive pungent smell, hours after you eat it. This is normal. The smell will disappear.
- Find out where asparagus comes from when you buy it. Reduce your food mileage!
- Be aware that other people (especially people you don't know very well) may have their own views on how to eat asparagus the right way. When in doubt, go their way for the sake of courtesy.
