This time of year, recipes for asparagus are as plentiful as tree pollen (but not quite as excessive as recipes for ramps).
Grilling them is one of my favorite ways to cook them.
If they’re not too big, just toss them in some olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, and throw them on the grill for 5-10 minutes.
Turn after a couple of minutes and cook until they start to have grill marks, are flexible and cooked through.
If you’re working with bigger stalks, you might want to steam them (I use the microwave for 4 minutes), then toss in olive oil and grill.
You can skip the steaming and just grill them a little longer over slightly lower heat.
This may sound a little crazy, but it's my favorite way to grill aspsaragus--toss them in a mayonnaise mix. They taste great and won't stick to the grill.
Feel free to substitute and/or add things like mustard, hot sauce, or sprinkle with something like Parmesan Cheese Added bonus? The asparagus won’t stick to the grill. 6 servings if you’re not too greedy.
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tablespoon sweet, smoked paprika (you can use the hot smoked paprika if you like, or substitute a little of the sauce from chipotles in adobo)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 pound thick asparagus, woody bottoms snapped off or cut
In a shallow dish, whisk the mayonnaise with all the other ingredients, except the asparagus. Add the asparagus and toss to coat.
Grill the asparagus over moderately high heat, turning to cook evenly, until tender, about 5-10 minutes.
Asparagus are also good roasted. Same principle as grilling, just toss in olive oil, salt and pepper and roast them in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes until they’re cooked through.
I’ve roasted them with sprinkles of goat cheese and herbs de Provence, ok but not great.
Better is some lemon zest, and grated Parmesan (you can add before they go in, or sprinkle on before serving.
When you steam them (4-5 minutes in the microwave and they keep their color), or in a pan on top of the stove a little Hollandaise sauce will jazz them up.
Recently I did a Hollandaise hack with about ½ cup crème frâiche, 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard and a little squeeze of lemon juice mixed together and served with roasted asparagus. Not quite the guilt of Hollandaise and just as delicious.
What’s your favorite recipe for asparagus?
