This White Asparagus recipe with lemon and dill is a light and delicious way to indulge in a unique vegetable. It's beautiful to add to a spring or summer spread for brunch, lunch or dinner.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time8 minutesmins
Total Time18 minutesmins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: unique vegan sides, great for spring lunch, unique vegetables
Place a medium-sized bowl of ice water on your work space.
Prep asparagus. Cut, or snap off the tough bottom few inches of the asparagus spears and discard (or save for stock).Rinse and peel them from just below the floret to the bottom, using a vegetable peeler. Don't apply too much pressure because white asparagus can be very fragile.
Steam. Place a steamer in a pot with the water level just below it. Over high heat, bring the water to a boil and then add the asparagus to the rack and cover. Reduce the heat to low and steam just until tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
Shock. Drain and immediately add the steamed asparagus to the bowl of ice water and let it sit for a couple of minutes. (This is called shocking -- it stops the cooking process and helps the keep the color (if green or purple.) Then remove, dry, and add them to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Set aside.
Make and add sauce. In a very small bowl, whisk the lemon juice, dill, sugar, salt and oil together. Then drizzle it over the asparagus and carefully toss to be sure it's well coated. Sprinkle lightly with black pepper.
Serve chilled or at room temperature as a side or over fresh greens as a salad.