Braised Asparagus Recipes

BUTTER-BRAISED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Snap off and discard the tough bottoms of the asparagus spears. If using large, thick asparagus, peel the lower ends with a vegetable peeler.
• Put butter in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add asparagus in one layer and season with salt and pepper. Add 1/2 cup water, cover, and bring to a simmer. Cook until the asparagus is firm-tender, about 3 minutes. Take care not to overcook them; they should still be bright green. (They will continue to cook a bit once the heat is off.) Remove the asparagus from the pan and place on a serving platter.
• Turn heat to high and simmer briskly until most of the liquid has evaporated, a minute or so. Add lemon juice and zest to the buttery juices. Turn off heat and stir in chives, parsley, tarragon and dill, if using. Check seasoning. Spoon the sauce over the asparagus, garnish with a few herb leaves, and serve.

BROILED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Snap off the ends of 2 bunches thin asparagus; discard. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Broil until slightly charred, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a platter and drizzle with red wine vinegar and olive oil. Top with shaved asiago.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS WRAPPED IN SERRANO HAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet with canola oil spray.
• Lay a slice of ham on a work surface. Place a stalk of asparagus perpendicular to the ham, with the tip of the asparagus just higher than the top edge of the ham. Roll the asparagus on a diagonal, tightly wrapping the ham around the stalk as you go. (The ham should cover the entire stalk except for about an inch on the top and bottom ends.) Repeat with the remaining asparagus and ham.
• Place the asparagus, seam-side down, on the prepared baking sheet and lightly grease the tops with canola oil spray. Bake until the ham is crispy and the asparagus has softened and begun to char at the tips, about 15 minutes. Immediately pour the orange juice over the hot asparagus and season with salt. (The orange juice will almost completely evaporate on the hot baking sheet, but it will infuse the asparagus with orange flavor.)
• Transfer the asparagus to a serving plate and garnish with the orange zest. Serve immediately.

BROILED ASPARAGUS PARMESAN

Steps:

• Place asparagus and water in 8x8 inch microwave-safe dish and cover.
• Heat in microwave on high until tender, 6 to 7 minutes.
• Line a baking sheet with foil.
• Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source.
• Remove asparagus from dish and place in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
• Squeeze lemon wedge into melted butter and drizzle over asparagus.
• Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and ground white pepper over asparagus.
• Place under broiler until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH ASPARAGUS, PEAS, AND MELTED LEEKS

Steps:

• If you see or feel dirt in the leeks, rinse well, separating layers, then pat dry; otherwise, leave rounds intact.
• Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high until hot but not smoking. Add leeks in a single layer; season with 1/4 tsp. salt and a pinch of pepper. Reduce heat to low and cook, turning once, until leeks are lightly golden, 16-18 minutes. Transfer leeks to a plate; reserve skillet.
• Lightly crush fennel seeds with the bottom of a heavy skillet or pot. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season with fennel, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in a 5-7-qt. Dutch oven or large wide saucepan over medium-high. Cook thighs, skin side down, until well-browned, 12-14 minutes. Transfer skin side up to a plate. Pour off and discard fat.
• Add wine to pot, bring to a simmer, and cook, scraping up bits from bottom of pot, 1 minute. Add broth and return chicken skin side up to pot. Lower heat to medium-low, cover pot, and cook until chicken is cooked through, 15-18 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine asparagus, peas, and 2 Tbsp. water in reserved skillet, cover, and cook over medium heat until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add 1/2 tsp. lemon zest, remaining 1/4 tsp. salt, and a pinch of pepper; stir gently to just combine.
• Divide chicken, asparagus mixture, and reserved leeks among large shallow bowls. Bring broth to a simmer, add lemon juice, then ladle into bowls. Top with dill and remaining 1 Tbsp. lemon zest.

SAUTEED GARLIC ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Melt the butter or margarine in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and asparagus spears; cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until asparagus is tender. If you like your asparagus well done, reduce heat and cook an additional 10 minutes.

BLANCHED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Prepare 1 1/2 pounds medium-thick asparagus (see Rinse and Snap). Have a large bowl of ice water ready. In a large saucepan, bring 8 cups water to a boil. Season with 2 tablespoons coarse salt, and add asparagus; boil until tender, 3 to 4 minutes (depending on thickness).
• Remove with tongs, or drain in a colander, and immediately transfer to ice water for 1 minute to stop the cooking process. Drain; refrigerate until completely chilled.

BRAISED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Cut off the woody white ends of the asparagus spears. If desired, remove the tough fibrous outer layer from the lower half of each spear using a vegetable peeler.
• In a straight-sided saute pan, heat oil until smoking. Add asparagus in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper and cook undisturbed until lightly browned, 1-2 minutes. Shake pan to turn spears and cook another 1-2 minutes. Add stock and butter to pan and immediately cover.
• Cook until spears are tender and butter and stock have emulsified into a lightly-thickened sauce, 7-10 minutes. (If sauce evaporates and butter begins to burn, add a couple of tablespoons of water.) Serve at once.

CREAMY CHICKEN & ASPARAGUS BRAISE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and fry the chicken for 5 mins, turning to brown both sides.
• Add the asparagus (reserve the tips), leeks and celery, pour in the bouillon and simmer for 10 mins. Add the asparagus tips and peas, and cook for 5 mins more.
• Meanwhile, stir the egg yolk with the yogurt and garlic. Stir the yogurt mixture into the vegetables and add the tarragon. Divide between two warm plates, then place the chicken on top of the vegetables. Serve with new potatoes, if you like.

COD WITH GINGER BRAISED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Preheat broiler.
• Whisk together egg white and mustard well, until white is no longer stringy. Lightly brush each fillet on one side with the egg mixture. Mix panko and orange zest and sprinkle over top of each fillet. Gently pat down to ensure that the breading adheres to the fish.
• Set the fillets on a baking sheet and broil until golden brown. Turn off broiler and move cod to lowest rack in oven to continue to cook slowly. (When done, fish should be opaque.).
• For asparagus, heat butter, ginger and garlic over medium heat in a large sauté pan. When butter begins to froth and garlic begins to soften, add asparagus so that all spears point the same direction. Season with salt and pour in the orange juice and water. Bring to a boil and cook until liquid has reduced to a glaze.
• Serve cod with asparagus and spoon any remaining glaze on top.

BRAISED WHITE ASPARAGUS WITH BLOOD-ORANGE SAUCE

Steps:

• Snap off ends of asparagus. Trim triangular leaves from sides, and peel spears. Place in single layer in heavy saucepan. Add enough stock to come about halfway up sides of spears. Add 2 tablespoons butter, place bay leaf on top, cover and cook over medium-high heat about 8 minutes, until spears are very tender.
• Meanwhile juice 3 blood oranges. Place all but 1 tablespoon juice in another saucepan, and simmer until reduced to 3 tablespoons. Whisk in remaining butter, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside. Peel remaining orange, removing all pith. Divide into segments, removing all membrane.
• Drain asparagus well, and place side by side on each of two large plates. Spoon blood orange sauce onto plates around spears. Drizzle asparagus with oil, allowing some droplets to fall into sauce. Dust lightly with salt and pepper. Top with cluster of blood-orange segments, and serve.

BALSAMIC ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, bring water to a boil. Add asparagus; cover and cook for 2-4 minutes or until crisp-tender. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, butter, garlic, salt and pepper. Drain asparagus; drizzle with balsamic mixture.