Asparagus Season is here and the freshest and best asparagus spears can be found in April through June. As a precursor to my Spring Tart coming up, I thought this would be a good time to write a short tutorial about this best of all vegetables. Did I mention that roasting asparagus takes a mere 8 to 10 minutes ?
Simply roasted asparagus with salt and black pepper is one of the easiest and most versatile vegetables to be had. From Asparagus soup or Potato Salad to an Asparagus Quiche to a simple sprinkling of parmesan cheese and lemon juice, this vegetables goes from the simplest of meals to the most elaborate.
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Three Grades of Asparagus
All asparagus is not equal. There are three grades of asparagus and personal taste is the guide here. There is no right or wrong.
- Pencil Thin - these spears are literally as thin as a pencil. They are the most tender.
- Standard - This is the best one for roasting. Generally, it doesn't have to be peeled. It will tender all the way down after trimming. This is the one I seek out.
- Jumbo - These are the fattest spears and need to be peeled to remove the tough outside of the stalks.
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Varieties Of Asparagus
Green - this is the one most commonly found in grocery stores and the variety most familiar.
White asparagus is more tender than green. It is actually green asparagus that has deprived of the sunlight. It is actually grown under the soil to deprive it of chlorophyll that makes plants green. It is considered a delicacy.
Violet or Purple - this variety can be found mostly in Italy and the United Kingdom. The stalks are quite thick.
How To Cook Asparagus
In the past, asparagus was blanched or poached, usually in water. This has pretty much gone out of style and for good reason. The water turns green having leached out some of the flavor, minerals, and vitamins.
Today, the favored method is roasting or grilling. When asparagus was in season, we sold what seemed like an endless number of stalks. We simply trimmed them, tossed them in oil, salted and peppered then roasted them just to bring out the flavor but not to make them limp or char them. No matter how many times I told people what we did, they always thought I was holding back some secret. Actually, roasting concentrates the flavor which is I guess the "secret".
A third way is to steam it.
Step by Step Instructions
Photo 1. The best way to ensure the crispest asparagus is to trim ¼ to ½ inch off the bottoms of the bunch of asparagus and stand them up in water. Store them in the fridge where they will stay crisp for days. When ready to use the, release the rubber bands, rinse the spears, and snap the woody ends off where they naturally break apart. Photo 2. On the plate are the three grades. From left to right are the pencil, standard and jumbo. Photo 3. This photo illustrates the jumbo asparagus being peeled with a vegetable peeler to remove the tough outer skin. Photo 4. The easiest way to cut the asparagus, either raw or roasted is to line them up and just cut across all of them at once.
Photo 5. Olive oil or canola oil is being poured over the trimmed spears. Photo 6. Each spear is coated in the oil. This is important to the flavor and outcome. Photo 7. A rimmed baking sheet is lined with foil (for easy clean up) and the spears are laid in single layer with none overlapping. Step 8. They are sprinkled with salt and pepper just before going into the oven.
Recipe FAQS
Asparagus Season is Here
Ingredients
- 1 pound asparagus (454 grams)
- 3 tablespoons olive or canola oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Set aside.
- Rinse the asparagus in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Place in the prepared pan.
- Pour the oil over the spears and make sure every stalk is oiled, top to bottom. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Bake for about 10 minutes until bright green and tender crisp. Pencil thin will take less time, jumbo more time.
- Serve immediately or use as desired.
- Leftover asparagus can be stored in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Donna L says
Delicious! Simple, yet perfection. As you directed, I ensured that each stalk was evenly oiled. Following your directions yielded better results than my normal approach.
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Donna - It let's the true flavor of the asparagus really come through. Glad you liked it,
Sandra Benson says
Thanks for that info, Helen. I’ve always been advised in gardening to “harvest asparagus when it reaches the size of a pencil”. Then I try to roast it and it turns to a skinny, dry piece of disappointment. Logically, I understand that roasting very thin pieces of a rather delicate vegetable is not likely to work out well, but seeing your clear descriptions of grades popped all the info into place for me!
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Sandary - Love this. Glad I could help.
Judy Imanse says
As always, a great recipe!
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Judy, Thanks for this. I always get a litte concerned when I post about something that isn't technically pastry.