Boiled Asparagus Recipes

GRANDMA'S ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Cut asparagus into 1-inch pieces and cook in a small amount of water with a dash of salt just until tender. Drain.
• Add butter to taste. Set aside.
• Gently warm (but do not boil) enough milk to cover asparagus.
• For each portion, place 3 saltine crackers in bottom of a sauce dish, top with a portion of the buttered asparagus and pour on milk to cover about 3/4 of asparagus.

BLANCHED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Prepare 1 1/2 pounds medium-thick asparagus (see Rinse and Snap). Have a large bowl of ice water ready. In a large saucepan, bring 8 cups water to a boil. Season with 2 tablespoons coarse salt, and add asparagus; boil until tender, 3 to 4 minutes (depending on thickness).
• Remove with tongs, or drain in a colander, and immediately transfer to ice water for 1 minute to stop the cooking process. Drain; refrigerate until completely chilled.

BOILED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Bring 1 inch salted water to a boil in a large skillet. Add asparagus in one layer. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes for medium and 7 minutes for jumbo. Drain, and transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and top with a pat of butter.

BOILED ASPARAGUS WITH PARSLEYED BREADCRUMBS

Steps:

• In a medium skillet, toast breadcrumbs with melted butter over medium heat until golden. Remove; stir in parsley, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper.
• Cook asparagus in boiling salted water until tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain; top with breadcrumbs.

BASIC BOILED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Bring about 6 quarts of water to a rapid boil in a covered pot large enough to hold the asparagus. Cut the bottom section- usually about 1 to 2 inches off the asparagus stalks with a sharp knife. Peel the asparagus by laying them flat, one at a time, on a cutting board. If the asparagus are thinner than 1/2-inch, use a vegetable peeler and peel the asparagus starting at the base of the tip and peeling them all the way down to the base, eliminating the fibrous peel and revealing the pale green flesh. If the asparagus are very thick or woody, use a paring knife and start peeling from the base. When ready to cook, toss the salt into the boiling water and carefully lower in the asparagus. Turn the heat to low and simmer the asparagus, uncovered, until the spears are easily penetrated with a knife, usually after about 5 minutes but from 1 minute for very thin asparagus to 12 minutes for the very thickest. If serving cold asparagus, plunge the hot cooked asparagus into ice water or rinse under cold water in a colander. Pat dry.