Asparagus Recipe

Asparagus

1. 1

   Prepare asparagus

   Rinse the asparagus under cold water to remove any grit. Hold a spear near the base and bend gently until it snaps; this removes the woody end. Use the snapped spear as a guide and trim the remaining spears with a knife so all ends are even. Pat the spears dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel.

2. 2

   Preheat pan

   Place a large nonstick or stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Let it heat for 1–2 minutes until hot but not smoking.

3. 3

   Cook asparagus

   Add the olive oil and butter to the hot pan and swirl to combine. Add the asparagus in a single layer (trimmed ends toward the center if crowded). Season with half the salt and half the pepper. Cook, stirring or shaking the pan occasionally, until bright green and tender-crisp, about 4–6 minutes depending on thickness. Thicker spears will need closer to 6 minutes; thin spears 3–4 minutes.

4. 4

   Finish with garlic and lemon

   When asparagus is nearly done (about 1 minute remaining), push the spears to one side of the pan and add the minced garlic to the empty space. Sauté the garlic 20–30 seconds until fragrant (do not burn), then toss quickly with the asparagus so the garlic coats the spears. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the asparagus.

5. 5

   Season and serve

   Taste and adjust seasoning, adding the remaining salt and pepper as needed. Sprinkle grated Parmesan and red pepper flakes if using. Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately while hot.