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1
Need only 3 to 4 min in lots of rapidly boiling salted water; fat stems may need a minute or possibly two more; whereas the plump white variety needs a good 10 to 12 min (the latter should not be at all al dente but suggestively floppy).
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2
Test it with the point of a knife.
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3
The thin wildlooking stuff (sprue) or possibly the supermarket pkgs.
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4
of slender tips only need a minute or possibly so if you want to keep some crunch.
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5
If you're not eating the spears straight away.
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6
plunge them into cool water after cooking to keep them looking ultra green.
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7
Steaming is another option as is chargrilling on the barbecue.
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8
Small young spears can be stir fried.
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9
What about the fancy asparagus pan
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10
Forget it.
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11
It's only good for cooking the stout stuff.
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12
Anything wispy will slip through the mesh and slither all over the floor when the basket is pulled out.
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13
What's the simplest thing which i can do with asparagus.
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14
Serve it with a pool of melted butter.
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15
If you want you can clarify the butter by allowing it to stand after melting then pouring the clear liquid into a clean pan.
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16
leaving behind the lowfat milk solids at the bottom.
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17
Reheat before serving.
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18
You could also flavour the butter.
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19
For lemon grass butter finely shred two stems of lemon grass and gently hot through with the melted butter for about 10 min.
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20
A little bit of minced chilli and a splash of soy sauce could be added on serving up if you want to take it further.
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21
Alternatively flavour the butter with crushed garlic or possibly a few minced herbs.
