Steamed Asparagus and Asparagus Garnish
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.
Servings: 4 to 6
Calories: 132kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds asparagus
- ½ teaspoon salt
- freshly ground black pepper
For the garnish
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- asparagus peels from the above 1½ pounds
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
To make the 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.
Notes
Calorie count is only an estimate.
Nutrition
Calories: 132kcal