If you don't already know how to steam asparagus, it's one of the most simple and delicious ways to prepare it. And we'll make a very cool asparagus garnish while we're at it.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time10 minutesmins
Total Time20 minutesmins
Course: Side Dish, Garnish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: great for garnishing, recipes with asparagus
Prep asparagus. Rinse, dry and snap or cut the tough bottoms off the asparagus, about 3 inches. Gently peel the asparagus spears. (Set the peels aside to make the Asparagus Garnish.)
Fill a large bowl with ice water and set it aside.
Steam. Set up a steamer on the stove with water just beneath the rack. Bring the water in the steamer to a boil and place the peeled asparagus spears on the rack and cover. Steam until tender -- about 6 minutes, depending on the thickness of the spears.
Shock. Drain the asparagus and "shock" it by placing it in the bowl of ice-water for about 3 minutes. This will stop it from cooking any further and help to keep the bright color.
Drain and dry. Drain again and pat dry with paper towels. (At this point it can be used in a salad or other dish. To serve it warm, serve immediately after it's first drained and skip the "shocking" step.)
Make the garnish
Sauté and season. Generously coat the bottom of a small to medium-sized sauté pan with the olive oil. Place it over medium-high heat, and once it's very hot, add the asparagus peels. (They should sizzle when you add them -- if you don't hear the sizzle, wait until the oil is hotter.)Sauté the peels until they begin to turn golden brown, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside on a couple layers of paper towels to drain.