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How to cook asparagus
Overview:
Asparagus is a delicious vegetable that contains
many nutrients. It is extremely versatile, it
can be cooked or eaten raw, is suitable for
both hot & cold dishes, as an accompaniment or
to be enjoyed on it’s own.
Preparing asparagus:
-
Wash under running cold water to remove any
residue dirt.
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The base of the asparagus spear tends to be
woody & fibrous and should removed. This is
generally a third of the way up the tip.
Another way to do this is to hold the
asparagus between your hands & bend it until
it breaks. Make sure all asparagus spears
are the same length.
-
Some people like to peel asparagus, I have
never found this necessary. This can be done
using a regular potato peeler.
Boiling asparagus:
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Clean & prepare asparagus as above.
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Add around 2 inches of water to a pan, add
salt & bring to the boil.
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Add asparagus to the pan & reduce the heat
to a simmer, cook for around 3-4 minutes
until spears are tender. Do not over cook as
it will make the asparagus soggy.
Grilling asparagus:
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Clean & prepare asparagus as above.
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Preheat your grill to a medium/high heat.
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Brush the spears with a little olive oil.
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Cook for 3-4 minutes or until tender,
turning occasionally.
Pan frying:
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Clean & prepare asparagus as above.
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Melt 50g butter in a frying pan over a
medium heat.
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Add asparagus & season with pepper, add a
splash of lemon juice. Cook for
approximately 7 minutes, or until tender.
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You may wish to add 2 cloves of finely
chopped garlic 2 minutes before the end.
Roasting:
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Clean & prepare asparagus as above.
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Preheat oven to 200˚C.
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Brush spears with a little olive oil, making
sure they are thoroughly coated.
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Line a baking tray with foil & place the
asparagus in a single layer on the tray.
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Season well with salt & pepper.
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Roast for 10-15 minutes until tender.
Serving suggestions:
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Hollandaise sauce.
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Butter & pepper.
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Lemon juice.
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Wrapped in prosciutto.
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Slivered almonds.
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A splash of olive oil.
Note:
If you are preparing asparagus for salads, as
soon as it has cooked plunge it into a bowl of
iced water.
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