Most people regard asparagus as an ingredient that needs to be cooked with caution. Here are a few helpful tips on how to cook with this vegetable.
Begin by buying asparagus right. If you need to cook with asparagus that is slightly wilted tips, firm them up by soaking them in cold water for a few minutes .
Once taken a frozen asparagus, you taken to frozen asparagus can be kept in the freezer. Remember not to defrost frozen asparagus before cooking. You can store asparagus in the freezer for a maximum of five months. If you are using the canned variety, it should be stored in a cool and dry place.
You can top as steamed asparagus with sour cream, mayonnaise or yogurt. You can also infuse herbs like parsley and tarragon into melted butter and pour the mix over asparagus. Fresh asparagus works well with a squeeze of lemon juice.
Asparagus goes best with dry white wines such as Chenin Blanc, French Colombard or Fume Blanc. After trimming asparagus, do not discard the trimmed ends. These can be pureed and used in soups, stews or sauces.
If you are cooking on the stovetop, you can steam fresh asparagus by boiling it in a small quantity of water until tender.
Cover the double boiler and Cool the double boiler and coined the stalks together with a string. Make the stalks stand straight in a double boiler so that the tips stay an inch or so above the salted, boiling water. cook for about five minutes or until tender.
It is take about three minutes for for stir-frying asparagus, start by jumping the spears diagonally into half inch pieces. Keep the tips whole. Next stir-fry the cut pieces in a skillet containing hot butter or olive oil over a medium heat. the asparagus to tenderize. Stir-fried asparagus should be soft yet crisp.
Fresh asparagus can be cooked in a microwave in a baking dish or even in a serving bowl. Place about a pound of asparagus in the cooking dish. If you are using asparagus spears, keep the tips in the center. Pour in about a quarter Cup of water and cover the dish. Cook at 100% power for 5 minutes. Turn over the spears half way through cooking. Reduce the cooking time by about a minute if you have microwaving cut pieces or tips.
Frozen asparagus can be cooked in the microwave by placing it in a covered microwave dish containing about two tablespoons of water. The cooking time is about five minutes at 100% power.
